Orland Park, Older than Your Average Suburb

More than 19 percent of the Orland's 57,676 residents are 65 or older in what the Chicago Tribune is calling the largest relative amount of senior citizens in any Chicago suburb with a population of 50,000 or more. With 23.6 percent of the population aged 50-64, the number is poised to grow.

"I think there's a lot for seniors to do in our area socially," Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady said. "And ultimately, I think people believe that Orland is a very safe neighborhood."

The increasingly aging population has some community officials planning ahead, including the Orland Fire Protection District. They are launching a program this winter to educate residents on heart attack awareness and CPR training. They also intend to make automated external defibrillators (AEDs) more widely available.

"Statistically, the average age of a person who experiences sudden cardiac arrest is 65 years old," Orland Fire Battalion Chief Raymond Kay told the Tribune. "If you take that population and you march it out over the next few years, you'll see that that age 65 and older category is growing and growing." 

The statewide average of senior citizens is around 12 percent. Oak Lawn trails close behind Orland’s lead with 18 percent of residents age 65 or better.

Get the rest of the story by the Chicago Tribune.

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