{"id":494117,"date":"2026-02-27T18:38:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T18:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/494117\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T18:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T18:38:17","slug":"staying-in-summit-experts-highlight-unique-challenges-facing-older-adults-in-mountain-towns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/494117\/","title":{"rendered":"Staying in Summit: Experts highlight unique challenges facing older adults in mountain towns"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Diana and Charlie Rau are pictured with their dog, Dixie, on Feb. 23 outside the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute in Denver. They have been making regular trips from their home in Grand County for more than a year to seek specialized cancer treatment for Charlie, often staying for weeks at a time.Liz Copan\/For the Summit Daily News<\/p>\n

Living a life in the elements as a Nordic ski club president, 77-year-old Diana Rau, like many in Colorado\u2019s mountains, has dealt with sickness over the years, but one recent incident changed her and her husband\u2019s life in a way it never had before.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As people age in rural resort communities like those in Grand and Summit counties, they often face situations that require them to leave for short or extended periods of time \u2014\u00a0sometimes even permanently. <\/p>\n

A lack of comprehensive medical services, high costs of living, the effects of high altitude on the body, the inherent risks of an active mountain lifestyle and more add complications for people hoping to age in place in mountain towns. However, individuals determined to remain in their communities have figured out ways to overcome those challenges by learning about, preparing for and engaging with the topic of aging.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of people that had to go to Denver for specialty doctors, but they\u2019ve still been able to live here,\u201d Charlie Rau, Diana\u2019s husband, said. \u201cOccasionally, there\u2019s some older people who break down and go.\u201d<\/p>\n

While helping put on a race at YMCA of the Rockies outside Granby, Diana and Charlie fell ill for around six weeks. Charlie developed pneumonia, and while he received treatment, the doctor noticed his red blood cell count was low. He needed to see a specialist in Denver, his doctor said in February.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It took until late-spring for Charlie to see a hematologist at the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute in Denver, where blood tests confirmed he had an acute form of blood cancer.<\/p>\n

Charlie\u2019s condition has required the couple to drive to Denver for major treatments. He said doctors told him that an effective treatment plan would include months of \u201csevere chemo,\u201d a bone marrow transplant, several more weeks in the hospital and finally having to live close to the hospital for three to four months.<\/p>\n

Though mountainous counties have some of the highest life expectancies in Colorado \u2014 with Summit ranking No. 1, Pitkin No. 2, Eagle No. 3, and Grand No. 7, according to the data published in 2024 by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute<\/a> \u2014 residents must strategize to overcome challenges unique to resort areas. Throughout Grand and Summit, organizations exist to help older adults do just that.<\/p>\n

\"\"Andrew Maciejewski\/Summit Daily News<\/p>\n

Community connections remain key<\/p>\n

Aging adults facing the possibility of having to move away are often apprehensive about the idea because they do not want to leave their community. Jason Cleckler, the CEO of Middle Park Health in Grand County, said staying socially connected is \u201creally important\u201d for people\u2019s mental health.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do live in a mostly rural community,\u201d Cleckler said. \u201cIsolation can be a real challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guy Gadomski \u2014 the treasurer of Staying in Summit, a nonprofit focused on helping mountain residents age in place \u2014 said that when aging adults have to leave their communities, it means more than just leaving their friends.<\/p>\n

\"\"Staying in Summit treasurer Guy Gadomski gestures toward a group of his friends at the Frisco Transfer Station as they prepare to embark on a ski hut trip on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. Gadomski\u2019s nonprofit is focused on improving outcomes for people hoping to age in place in Summit County. Andrew Maciejewski\/Summit Daily News<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time that a senior has to move and uproot, their health goes down,\u201d Gadomski said. \u201cIt\u2019s cruel and unusual punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Maximiliano Smolkin, a high-altitude specialist at CommonSpirit St. Anthony in Frisco, said doctors in Summit County try to avoid telling patients they must move to lower elevations because of the impact leaving their community can have.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTaking away the support of family and friends from someone at that advanced age, it\u2019s going to affect a lot of other medical issues,\u201d Smolkin said.<\/p>\n

Smolkin said community plays a large role in mental health and quality of life. An 80-year-old who has lived in a mountain community for a long time and is told by a doctor they need to move into a nursing home in Denver is likely to say they would rather stay in their community, he said, even if it means dying sooner.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hear this all the time: \u2018Doctor, I don\u2019t care if I die,’\u201d Smolkin said. \u201c\u2018I want to die here with my friends and family. I don\u2019t want to be alone in a lower (elevation) place.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Growing senior population adds demand for resources<\/p>\n

\"\"Sandy Hawkins holds her skis near the Mountain House base area of Keystone Resort on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. She leads a program for Summit 50 Plus that brings together skiers and snowboarders of all ages each week at the resort with the goal of having fun while connecting the community in Summit County. Andrew Maciejewski\/Summit Daily News<\/p>\n

The issue of aging in place has become more prominent in Grand and Summit counties as the population of adults 60 and older has increased, in turn increasing the demand for aging-related services. In the past quarter century, the number of adults in the age group and in the group\u2019s share of the total county population have increased significantly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to data from the Colorado State Demography Office, Grand and Summit\u2019s 60-plus populations accounted for 12% and 6% of the counties\u2019 total populations, respectively, in 2000. By 2010, those figures were 18% and 14%. The number of adults 60 or older in Grand saw a 75% increase over that time period, and Summit\u2019s saw a 162% increase. The total population in both counties over the same period increased 15%. Today, Grand County\u2019s 60-plus population accounts for 27% of the total population and Summit County\u2019s accounts for 22%, according to demography office projections for 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Shelby Valicenti\/Summit Daily News<\/p>\n

Projections from the demography office expect the 60-plus population in Grand to decline slightly over the next decade, bringing its share of the overall population down to 25%. In Summit County, projections expect the 60-plus population to keep growing and reach 24% of the total population by 2036.<\/p>\n

Cleckler said the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated growth in Grand County\u2019s population generally, including among aging adults. He said some people looked to move to rural areas because it was easier to socially isolate, while others moved to Grand because their jobs had gone remote.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re like, \u2018Well, if I\u2019m gonna work from home, I\u2019m gonna live in the mountains,’\u201d Cleckler said. \u201cI think we started to see some of the shift in the 65 and older, too, during COVID.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smolkin said he saw a similar trend in Summit County, where young people moved to do remote work and realized they do not want to leave. Smolkin said he has also seen aging parents who want to be close to their children follow them to Summit.<\/p>\n

High elevation complicates health journeys<\/p>\n

\"\"Middle Park Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Stuerman is pictured simulating an exam Feb. 23 at the health care nonprofit\u2019s Granby Campus. Stuerman said Middle Park Health assesses what specialty care options exists in Grand and nearby communities and forms partnerships to bolster resources.Middle Park Health\/Courtesy photo<\/p>\n

Mountain communities have a trait that other non-metropolitan communities do not: less oxygen. Smolkin, a high-altitude specialist, said the way the body acts at high altitudes is different than at lower ones.<\/p>\n

High altitude often causes hypoxia, a condition where body tissues have low levels of oxygen, Smolkin said. As low oxygen affects organ systems, it becomes harder for people to live at high elevations, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we age, a lot of the mechanisms that we have in our body to compensate for that low oxygen, they start failing,\u201d Smolkin said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Rebecca Smiley, the chief medical officer of CommonSpirit St. Anthony Summit, said the most common medical reasons people have to leave Summit County are issues with their heart, lungs or oxygen levels. Smolkin said hypoxia in the heart and lungs can lead to pulmonary hypertension, or a type of high blood pressure that affects arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. It can then lead to congestive heart failure, where the heart is not strong enough to pump blood throughout the body, causing blood to eventually collect in the lungs and legs.<\/p>\n

Smolkin said high altitude can exacerbate many chronic illnesses, like congestive heart failure, a point that Middle Park Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jason Stuerman reiterated. Stuerman added that falls often cause issues for aging adults in Grand County, explaining that residents often must travel long distances through the spread-out county and are generally living active, mountain lifestyles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw a 92-year-old a month ago, and she told me she had just come from skiing,\u201d Stuerman said. \u201cI said, \u2018Oh my gosh, you still ski?\u2019 She goes, \u2018Yeah, I think about five runs this morning.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Smiley said falls can contribute to aging adults having to leave high-elevation communities because the recovery process could decondition them. Deconditioning, she said, is what can happen when someone gets injured or sick and has less mobility for some time, meaning they are not exercising their muscles, heart or lungs.<\/p>\n

When people become deconditioned at high elevations, Smiley said, they can lose the \u201cstate of health\u201d that had allowed them to deal with the lack of oxygen.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you become deconditioned and you\u2019re injured, it\u2019s hard to become reconditioned. That can definitely precipitate a decline in cardiopulmonary function,\u201d Smiley said.<\/p>\n

Service gaps and high costs limit longevity<\/p>\n

\"\"A couple walks toward the Summit County Community and Senior Center on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. The building is a hub for people of all ages and hosts programs and events put on by Summit 50 Plus, which is a nonprofit aimed at improving social connections and providing resources for older adults. Andrew Maciejewski\/Summit Daily News<\/p>\n

Aging adults in Summit and Grand counties often have to travel to Denver for treatments if their local hospital does not have the specialty care they require. The Raus have experienced that already, but if they must stay in Denver longer for more intense treatment, not only would they need to find more appropriate housing than their friend\u2019s condo, they might need to hire a caretaker for Charlie any time Diana cannot be with him.<\/p>\n

Charlie said a social worker told the couple that hiring someone for 24\/7 care for three to four months could cost around $80,000 out-of-pocket. Thanks to the Raus\u2019 community connections and health care planning, Diana would provide care three days a week, and their insurance would cover much of the cost for hired help on the additional days. The couple has also received assistance in covering the cost of Charlie\u2019s drugs through community support, grants, insurance and the hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many unknowns, but so far we\u2019ve been very lucky,\u201d Diana said.<\/p>\n

Not all aging adults are as lucky as the Raus, though. Research firm Milliman reported that a 65-year-old retiring in 2025 is projected to spend about $275,000 to $315,000 on health care expenses during retirement.<\/p>\n

The Raus having to leave the county for Charlie\u2019s care is not unique to mountain communities. Bob Brocker, the founder of AgeWise Colorado, said any county outside of major metropolitan areas is likely to be lacking some services, including those geared toward the aging population.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think, you know, the Summit and Grand areas are probably better off than some, but you still have a lot of things that are missing,\u201d Brocker said. \u201cPeople end up having to come down to Denver for some of those types of services.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Snow covers the ground outside the entrance of Common Spirit St. Anthony Hospital in Frisco on Feb. 20.Kyle McCabe\/Summit Daily News<\/p>\n

Major health care providers in Grand and Summit counties provide many specialty services often used by older adults. The realities of being rural health systems, though, mean they cannot provide all types of medical care the aging population might need.<\/p>\n

Stuerman said Middle Park Health, like other hospitals, assesses what specialty care exists in its own and nearby communities and forms partnerships to bolster care. Cleckler added that the hospital system also tries to expand into new specialties wherever it makes sense based on the level of demand in the community.<\/p>\n

Smiley said the Frisco hospital has added several services in recent years that are largely used by the aging population. She said a community like Summit County, though, does not have the \u201cpopulation base or the disease base\u201d for every possible specialty.<\/p>\n

Smiley pointed to hospice and palliative care, or care for people living with serious illnesses, as gaps in service in the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not an uncommon gap in a small community or in a mountain community,\u201d Smiley said, \u201cbut having hospice and palliative care would really allow people to have, kind of, a higher quality of life during those last, final years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Community building leads to support<\/p>\n

\"\"Charlie and Diana Rau are pictured Feb. 23 in the lobby of the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute in Denver. They have been making the trip from their home in Grand County to seek specialized cancer treatment for over a year. The Raus said the level of connection in Grand County has helped provide support for their situation. Liz Copan\/For the Summit Daily News<\/p>\n

In Summit County, Staying in Summit exists specifically to address the incomplete continuum of care, which means services are available for adults as their needs gradually increase.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gadomski, the group\u2019s treasurer, said the organization does not want to \u201csit back and wait\u201d for local governments or others to solve the problems it sees with care for aging adults. Staying in Summit has formed a panel of organizations in the area that help people age in place, allowing the partners to better communicate and work together.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to work with our partners that we formed this group (with) to make it more publicly known what the needs are,\u201d Gadomski said. \u201cThe seniors ourselves, we\u2019re going to take on the responsibility of doing what can be done to bring the missing services here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Raus said the level of connection in mountain towns has helped provide support for their situation. When they posted on Facebook about Charlie\u2019s diagnosis, Diana said \u201cthings started exploding.\u201d A friend created a GoFundMe for medical expenses without even telling the couple.<\/p>\n

Whether it be people Diana has impacted through Grand Nordic or people Charlie, who retired from Grand Woodworks last year, helped with projects around their homes, Diana said people are returning the favor by supporting Charlie.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody has helped each other,\u201d Diana said. \u201cThat\u2019s what a community does.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Diana and Charlie Rau are pictured with their dog, Dixie, on Feb. 23 outside the Colorado Blood Cancer…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":494118,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[97,252,253],"class_list":["post-494117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health-care","tag-health","tag-health-care","tag-healthcare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=494117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/494117\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/494118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=494117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=494117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=494117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}