April 1, also observed as Census Day nationwide, will mark the twenty-fourth time the United States has conducted the practice of counting the population since 1790.
A practice that is done every 10 years, the Census has been a key component in determining congressional representation, funds for communities used for a variety of different services, and more.
While data has shown that senior citizens are the most likely than any other age group to return their Census forms, this year’s preferred method of participation may make more than a few residents a little hesitant.
The 2020 Census marks the first one to introduce an online option as a method of participation. Residents can expect to receive official Census Bureau mail on March 12 through March 20 with detailed instructions on how to respond.
Gretchen Knowlton, Advocacy and Planning Specialist for AgeGuide, has been hard at work with this agency that specializes in helping the aging community in eight counties around Cook county, to get the word out about the Census and stop misinformation.
Having years of experience in social work with senior citizens, Knowlton acknowledges the concerns residents may have with the new online option.
“There are only nine questions being asked about basic information and we just want to emphasize to older adults what it is that [the Census] is going to ask and won’t ask. The Census will never require Social Security information, bank account information, and will not ask for donations. We’ve seen scams going around with people receiving emails from the Census, but they are not sending any emails. Don’t answer any emails claiming to be from the Census,” she said.
Isolated seniors of certain ethnic groups and non-English speakers may be at the highest risk of being underrepresented due to not fully comprehending what the Census entails which brings up a major concern.
“Census funds for seniors go towards Medicare part D, senior housing and senior nutrition to name a few examples,” Knowlton said. “$3.5 million in funds were given to our eight-county region based on the results of the 2010 Census. We lose $1.2 billion if we miscount just one percent of the population.”
Residents are still able to respond to the Census via the traditional methods of filling out a paper form or answering the questions over the phone with there being many local resources available to help anyone with questions or concerns.
“In the Huntley area, I know the library has some great resources. Older adults can also check out Senior Services Associates, Catholic charities, or get in contact with the McHenry County Township. People can also call us here at AgeGuide and we can help answer questions. We just want to make sure we can include everyone,” Knowlton said.
Larger print copies of the Census form for the vision impaired are available online. The Census form is also available in 11 different languages and offers instructions in 56 languages online. It is important to note that all information provided to the Census Bureau is kept confidential and there will also be no questions regarding citizenship.
Knowlton puts it best when she says, “Now is the time to make an impact for the later generations for the next decade. Seniors are the fastest growing population that can make a difference.”
Census takers will begin visiting homes in the months of May through July for those that have not responded to the 2020 Census. For more information on the 2020 Census, residents can visit www.2020census.gov or to get resources from AgeGuide, call their phone line at (630) 293-5990.
