Age-Friendly Communities: The intersection between sustainability and inclusivity
On March 28th, the City of San Diego made the exciting announcement that it is one step closer to becoming an Age-Friendly Community. What is an Age-Friendly Community? It’s a livable community where people of all ages can get around without a car and safely go for a walk and ride a bike, live comfortably and affordably, work or volunteer, enjoy public places and spend time outdoors, socialize, find the services they need, and make their city, town, or neighborhood a lifelong home. Actions to make communities age-friendly have benefits to the environment as well.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, older Americans are one of the fastest-growing demographics in the country. By 2020, there will be more than 77 million people over the age of 60. This means our community groups, businesses, and the public sector need to work together to prepare for a future with more older adults who are living longer and wanting to age in place.
A few years ago, I worked with The San Diego Foundation to evaluate and outline the key steps that the Foundation and the City of San Diego should take as they worked to address the needs of the changing and aging population within the region. In San Diego County, the number of people 65 and over is expected to double by 2030.
We are delighted to see that the best practices and recommendations we compiled from other cities across the U.S, and surveys we conducted locally, helped advance the foundation’s and the city’s effort, resulting in the recent announcement.
Here are some of the key takeaways we learned about Age-Friendly Communities while working with The San Diego Foundation:
Programs and policies that increase access to transit and that create more affordable housing and safe outdoor spaces benefit seniors as well as other demographics such as Millennials and families with children, allowing communities to build allies and understanding across generations.
Changing mindsets, misperceptions and messaging about seniors is key to building successful and sustainable communities for all. Seniors can be a resource and all sectors can support volunteer and employment opportunities for them.
Pilot projects can showcase what the end results of an Age-Friendly Community look like. Tools and initiatives like an Age Friendly Park Checklist developed by the City of Philadelphia and a new model for senior transportation subsidized by medical offices in Phoenix can serve as examples for other communities and businesses.
Like many businesses, most communities are striving to develop in an inclusive way, and to balance various social, financial and environmental issues to get to a sustainable outcome. At SustainabilityNext, by conducting research, organizing focus groups and surveys, and compiling best practices and making recommendations, we can help your business, community group, city or state create a more age friendly or livable community in collaboration with others working towards these same goals.
Check out these other resources from the WHO Global Network for Age Friendly Cities and Communities or AARP’s Network of Age Friendly States and Communities to learn more about Age-Friendly Communities, and please contact ann@sustainabilitynxt.com if you would like to discuss how your city, business or group can get involved.