Lifelong Communities - Win/Win for All Ages

While the majority of older adults and baby boomers have expressed a desire to remain at home, cities are not age-friendly: Cities were built for able-bodied people. Stairs, cars, and inaccessible cramped public bathrooms have become impediments for older adults and aging baby boomers. Baby boomers, born between 1946-1964, represent a silver tsunami of 78 million, with the oldest turning 65 on January 1, 2011. Currently, there are approximately 38 million older adults. This age wave is expected to place increasing demand on cities to initiate age-friendly areas and retrofit public areas to accommodate the graying population.

Some obstacles to independence include lack of transportation, shopping, and socializing. The dependence on the automobile poses the greatest obstacle for retaining independence and social engagement that are KEY to successful aging. Adults moved their families to the suburbs during the post WWII era, creating a dependence on the automobile. Social isolation has been shown to negatively impact aging. Making cities more friendly to all ages means it is friendly to ALL, not just able-bodied [younger] people.

Four cities have addressed the needs for older adults including Philadelphia, Portland, Atlanta, and the Harlem section of New York City. Atlanta has recognized the need for developing age-friendly cities with the creation of the Atlanta Regional Commission on Lifelong Communities Initiative with three goals in mind to support change and challenge old assumptions:

1. to promote housing and transportation options



2. to encourage healthy lifestyles



3. to expand information and access

In Harlem, the city has placed benches and folding chairs around the town so that people can sit and rest while running errands.

Other ideas that have been suggested include using idle school buses for taking older adults grocery shopping, building disability accessible and/or universal housing, and building walkable communities that encourage fitness and less dependence on automobiles.

Age-friendly cities should address the following in order to be accessible for ALL ages:

1. Social participation


2. Respect and social inclusion


3. Civic participation and employment


4. Communication and information


5. Community support and health services


6. Outdoor space and buildings


7. Transportation


8. Housing
   
   Sources:
   
   Lawler, K., & Berger, C. (2009). Lifelong communities: Re-imagining the Atlanta region from the ground up. Generations - Journal of the American Society on Aging, 33(2), pp 76-78.
   
   Neergaard, L. (2011, July 10). Aging boomers strain cities built for youth. The Decatur Daily.
   
   
   Web sources for information on this topic:
   
   Atlanta Regional Commission Lifelong Communities Initiative: tinyurl.com/3gz9lfv
   
   GenPhilly: http://www.gen-philly.org/
   
   New York City Academy of Medicine: www.nyam.org/urban-health/healthy-aging
   
   New York City Aging Improvement Districts: tinyurl.com/3h5fo7a
   
   Philadelphia Corporation for Aging: http://www.pcacares.org/
   
   Portland State University Institute on Aging: www.pdx.edu/ioa
   
   World Health Organization's Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities: tinyurl.com/3kdkp6q