We spoke with Rodney Harrell, senior policy adviser in AARP's Public Policy institute, aka AARP's housing expert, about that report as well as another report just published by the PPI, "Is This A Good Place to Live? Measuring Community Quality of Life for All Ages." Here's an excerpt and slightly edited Q&A of that discussion.
Q. What is a livable community?
A. People's definitions of a livable community differ, so the most livable community will have options to meet people's needs, regardless of one's age, physical ability, income or other factors.
Livable communities must be safe from crime and hazards that can cause physical injury. They must have options for housing that are affordable, accessible and meet the needs of individuals; they must have transportation options so that people can get around whether they drive or not; and they need access to community features, such as parks, grocery stores and other amenities.
Q. How can older Americans tell if they are in a livable community?
A. Older adults should look at all of the ways that a community impacts their lives. They can start with the list above and add other community elements to them personally. When they do this, they must look at their needs today and also look at what they may need in the future – if a physical injury, family change, income shift or other event happens, the community should still provide options that work for them. A livable community allows people to do what the clear majority of older adults want to do – remain in their communities as they age.
Q. W! hat can older Americans who want to age in place do to make their community more livable?
A. Community improvements can be initiated from a wide number of sources including government, local business and community groups. Community members can first learn about their communities – take a close look at your community and similar ones to understand what you have and do not have. The AARP evaluation guide lists many ways that people can begin to understand what's in their communities. Once they understand their particular community's needs, residents can become active in various ways. One of those ways is being active in the decision-making process of local government – they can attend community meetings, sit in on the local council or zoning board or other government meetings and make sure that their needs are being met. They can also join with fellow community members to help improve their communities themselves – partnerships can be powerful.
Q. What other advice do you have for older Americans who want to age in place?
Individuals may think of their home as their personal domain, but a community exists only because of many community members who live together. That means that they should find ways to connect with fellow community members about changes that would improve their communities, and they might be surprised about what they find. As example, our recent survey in "What is Livable? Community Preferences of Older Adults" shows that many of the community elements actions that older adults want are the same ones that benefit people of all ages. As a result, older adults might find surprising allies in their goals to make communities meet their needs. Within one's own home, older adults should consider home modifications that may make their homes more livable as their abilities change, and may look for other housing options in their community if their home no longer works for them.
Q. What do most older Americans overlook when they think about aging in place?
A. The! single b! iggest thing that many older people overlook is the fact that needs can and do change as we age. While some take steps to make sure that they are in a home and community that will meet their needs over time, far too many focus only on their needs today. One unexpected shift in income, physical ability or family status can mean that the location on a safe and beautiful cul-de-sac that seemed so inviting years ago can be an isolating home in a remote location with too many stairs and tripping hazards if one no longer drives or has trouble getting around. People must plan for their future needs.
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Q. Which towns and cities are among the most livable for older Americans?
A. We won't be able to identify specific towns and cities until we launch our Livability Index project in 2015, but the most livable cities will be those that have a range of housing options that are affordable and accessible, with transportation options that allow people to get around whether they drive or not. They will have easy access to healthy food, other shopping, parks and other elements that many people want in their communities. Generally, they will be safe and healthy with social environments that support all people. Finally, these will also be the places that are taking steps to ensure that livability is increasing over time by implementing programs and policies that support their aging residents – after all, the most livable community isn't the one that works for you today, it's the one that works for you both today and in the future.
Editor's note: Here's a description of the AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities and links to 1.) the cities and towns in the AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities and 2.) With Universal Design, One-Size-Fits-All.
Robert Powell is editor of Retirement Weekly, a service of MarketWatch.com. Email him at rpo! well@allt! hingsretirement.com .
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