According to the Census Bureau, 24.6 percent of Wayne County’s people are over 65. In Pike, it’s 23.5 percent. In Sullivan County, NY: 19.3 percent.

In rural areas nationally, that figure is 17.5 percent.

If you go to this issue’s Outdoors section and read columnist Hunter Hill’s profound gratitude for and love of his grandparents, you’ll get a sense of how important seniors are here. They’re a vital part of their families, they carry the unique family stories, they hold up so many of our non-profits since they have the time to give. They have jobs. Seniors are the foundation of rural life.

For some, of course, there are challenges, as Howard Gleckman listed in Forbes in 2019: poorer health, poverty, transportation issues, few caregivers, and isolation.

Our local programs for the aging, in Pike, Wayne, and Sullivan, are well aware of the problem. But they’ve created a solid foundation of support and they’re constantly trying to do more. They all offer opportunities for seniors who are enjoying their age and want to explore or give back or just grow.

After all, we never stop growing.