Helping Oklahoma plan for a growing older adult population

Challenge 

Oklahoma faced a demographic turning point: By 2034, the state will have more residents over age 65 than under age 18, a first in its history that has profound implications for the state’s workforce, healthcare, housing, transportation, and public spending.  

As state leaders considered how they’d plan for the population shift, they decided that simply expanding services to keep up with an aging population wasn’t enough. They wanted to reenvision life for Oklahomans as they age, raising Oklahoma from its historically low position in national rankings to become a top 10 state where older adults can live resiliently and independently. 

The challenge was multifaceted. Oklahoma’s geography is predominantly rural or frontier, with only two major metro areas. Many residents live hours from healthcare services, and broadband and 5G cellular access is limited or nonexistent in some regions. Disseminating information and delivering equitable services across such vast distances required a new approach—one that could bridge gaps in infrastructure, mobility, and community engagement. 

Oklahoma needed a multisector plan on aging (MPA)—a comprehensive document outlining how the state would facilitate services for a rapidly growing population of older adults over the next decade. While many states have begun work on MPAs after governors issued executive orders, Oklahoma Human Services leaders proactively sought out a partner to help develop a plan, backed by strong support from the Governor and his cabinet.  

 

Approach 

Oklahoma leaders and Guidehouse embarked on a three-phase approach to the development of Oklahoma’s MPA, “Aging Our Way:” 

Phase 1: Readiness assessment  
The work began with a readiness assessment to evaluate whether Oklahoma’s agencies and partners were prepared to develop and implement a comprehensive aging plan. This process included representatives from Oklahoma state agencies, aging services providers and Area Agencies on Aging,  faith-based organizations, and other community-based groups and advocates for older Oklahomans. Leaders of these organizations overwhelmingly stated their eagerness and ability to move forward.  

Phase 2: Current state evaluation and plan development 
Guidehouse held a series of 17 listening sessions—13 held in-person within five rural and urban communities and four held virtually—to understand existing challenges in serving older adults and define the scope of the MPA. Participants, including older members of the public, leaders of community-based organizations, healthcare executives, tribal government leaders and service providers, and state and local government officials, were asked to share areas for improvement and identify “wish list” initiatives and services that would enable a better future for Oklahoma’s older adults. The output of these sessions was assessed in a comprehensive current state report and served as the basis of Oklahoma’s MPA. Subject matter experts from Guidehouse supported these sessions with specific expertise in key policy areas such as transportation, workforce, state strategic planning, community development, and housing. Facilitators helped narrow the conversation into specific and actionable goals. 

Using these findings, the Guidehouse team set out to create a comprehensive plan focused on 10 key areas: Availability and Affordability of Services, Programs, and Resources; Accountability, Coordination, and Fiscal Transparency; Housing; Transportation; Age-Friendly Communities; Culture Change and Education; Wellness; Social Connection; Unpaid Caregivers; and Workforce. 

Phase 3: Plan feedback  
Guidehouse facilitated a final series of five listening sessions in greater Oklahoma City in both English and Spanish to gather specific input for the plan. Sessions were hosted at various sites, including social and wellness centers, chambers of commerce, Veterans’ organizations, community development agencies, and places of worship. A statewide survey complemented the listening sessions, gathering feedback from more than 4,000 respondents across Oklahoma from every county and at least 25 of the state’s 39 tribes. The survey was distributed through social media promotion, traditional news media, and in-person events. The MPA Executive Steering Committee, Advisory Committee and Subcommittees used Oklahomans’ feedback and quantitative data to develop the initiatives to execute over the next 10 years. 

Impact  

The Aging Our Way plan set a standard for how Oklahoma serves its aging population, grounding decisions in the deep expertise of professionals and advocates as well as the lived experience of community members. By gathering and consolidating community feedback from more than 5,000 Oklahomans, Guidehouse helped narrow an initial list of 50 priorities to 13 actionable goals. The engagement was truly multisector, with 125 public and private organizations opening their doors for events and listening sessions while actively participating in the plan’s development. Oklahoma and Guidehouse also launched the Aging Our Way Ambassador program to support the program’s implementation, training 158 local leaders across 30 counties to drive community-based outreach. Ambassadors have conducted 71 informational, educational, and outreach sessions across 16 counties and have reached 2,924 people. 

An effective MPA positions states like Oklahoma to proactively address needs and be an effective steward of taxpayer dollars. By integrating voices from across sectors and geographies, Guidehouse helped Oklahoma Human Services build an actionable, inclusive, resilient and sustainable plan for aging—one that positions the state to lead nationally in aging policy and outcomes. 

Want a quick read of the plan? Read Plan at a Glance or the Executive Summary.