Aging

The Maturing of America—Communities Moving Forward for an Aging Population was co-released in June 2011 by: National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, MetLife Foundation, International City/County Management Association, American Planning Association, National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, and Partners for Livable Communities.

Due to the financial consequences from the Great Recession, many US communities have been unable to make significant progress in preparing to meet the needs of the country’s rapidly aging population. The Maturing of America—Communities Moving Forward for an Aging Population, a follow-up to an extensive survey conducted in 2005, reveals that at best, communities have managed to maintain the status quo for the past six years due to the decline in the overall economy and local government budgets. This report, funded by MetLife Foundation, also reveals that, despite the challenges, important advances have been made including increase in specialized training for emergency and public safety staff in dealing with older adults; growth of in-home supportive services; greater support for advanced education for the workforce; and expanded volunteer opportunities. Even so, with millions of Baby Boomers reaching retirement age, these advancements are nowhere near the level of progress needed to ensure that communities are livable for people of all ages.

Click Here for the Maturing of America II Executive Summary

Click Here for the Maturing of America II Full Report

This document builds on the planning and research efforts that were reported on at the 2010 M. Powell Lawton Conference on Urban Aging and serves as testimony to the agenda's current success. It is intended to outline the reasons behind the initiative, highlight current collaborations, and provide opportunities for new involvement.

Click here to read the report online.

Click here for a printer-friendly version.

This year, the first of the Baby Boomers turn 65. But this milestone birthday may not be so eagerly celebrated, as our nation realizes the drastic impact this huge generation will have on our communities. Six years ago, the first edition of  “The Maturing of America,” a report undertaken by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging with groups representing local governments and city planners, found that most communities were not properly prepared for the impact of an increasing aging population: the age 65-plus population is expected to double by 2030.

Whether you are engaged in a conversation, changing the song on your iPod, or “trying to make a light” suddenly in the midst and wonder of city excitement you can feel like you are in the middle of a real life Frogger game.  Next time you have the uncomfortable realization of immediate danger in the middle of a busy intersection, put yourself in the running shoes of an older adult. 

Take a moment to envision what it would be like to go about your daily activities with a more gentle and careful step to get an understanding of the true accessibility of a city for people of all ages.

Culture Connects All, a benchmark report by Partners for Livable communities funded by MetLife Foundation, offers new audience-building opportunities for arts and cultural organizations to engage two of America’s fastest growing populations: immigrant and older adult populations. 

The 2010 census confirms what many have observed over the past decade—the population is growing older, and in many areas more diverse.  And this change is happening across the face of the nation. Two rapidly expanding population groups present a timely opportunity for communities and their arts and cultural institutions to rethink and retool their outreach.

Click Here to Download the Publication

Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay, Florida

For many of the older adults living in HUD assisted housing in the Tampa Bay region, routine inspections by landlords are mandatory. In short, inspections are implemented mainly to ensure that the older tenant is able to sustain an independent lifestyle, without the need for continued monitoring of their health, well-being, safety and living environment. For many of the older tenants, life in such households can often come at an aberrant cost.

Realizing that this little known problem was an ever-pervasive threat to many of the older residents in Tampa Bay, Florida, the local organization, Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay (SIS), partnered with a host of regional education institutions and businesses to address how to assist older adults avoid eviction because they are unable to maintain their living environments.

With the year 2011 nearly upon us—a period when the first of the Baby Boomers will officially reach the age of retirement— the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) addressed the issue of a growing older population by holding the first “Safety, Mobility and Aging Drivers” forum on November 9th and 10th.  According to the Washington Post article, “The American Driver Turns to Gray,” officials from the NTSB have stated that, “the number of people aged 65 and older is expected to double in the next three decades;” a number that is expected to reach 1 in 5 by 2015 (Washington Post, November 10, 2010).

 

While the NTSB is well-known for the proactive measures the organization takes towards transportation safety, this forum was the first time in which the NTSB has shifted policy direction in order to explore possible preparations and limitations related to the aging driver and personal transportation.

Oakland, CA

A Senior Theatre Company that uses theatre and storytelling to bridge generation gaps and break down stereotypes about aging.

More than 35 million Americans are over 65, and that population is rising at an unprecedented rate.  The MetLife Mature Market Institute recently responded to this shift with “The MetLife Report on Aging in Place 2.0: Rethinking Solutions to the Home Care Challenge.”  The report serves as a “blueprint” for helping our growing population of older adults stay in their homes, or, “age in place”, through adjustments to residential design, health care, and other services.  Click here to read the full news release (PDF). Or Download the Report here.

More than 35 million Americans are over 65, and that population is rising at an unprecedented rate.  The MetLife Mature Market Institute recently responded to this shift with “The MetLife Report on Aging in Place 2.0: Rethinking Solutions to the Home Care Challenge.”  The report serves as a “blueprint” for helping our growing population of older adults stay in their homes, or, “age in place”, through adjustments to residential design, health care, and other services.  Click here to read the full news release (PDF).

Older adults face limited access to mobility alternatives when public busses are more of an inconvenience then the city had originally intended. For one, city bus routes are often mapped out mainly for commuters, taking riders to the commercial center for work and back out to the suburbs. This often necessitates long and unnecessary trips with transfers to travel around the urban fringe. In addition, buses to the commercial center can be in such a hurry they begin to move before the passenger can even begin to balance and sit down.

What if your refrigerator gave you breakfast suggestions? Or your bed checked you for health problems while you slept? Our aging population is spurring the creation of a host of friendly household gadgets, including everything from floors that absorb the impact of falls, to mattress pads that assess vital signs and alert health care professionals to any irregularities. Outside the home, technology is in the works to create personalized radio frequency identification cards, which can tell grocery shelves to lower to your eye level or help gym machines adjust to your ability.

The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is exploring advances like these, along with the physical and emotional experience of aging, in their project “Brave Old World.”

New York City is famously known for its fast-paced, move-it-or-lose-it way of life.   This attitude stems from the large number of young professionals crowding the streets; however life in some parts of the city is slowing down, if only just slightly.  New York Academy of Medicine is looking to create 2 age-friendly neighborhoods in New York City.   These pilot projects are the result of town hall meetings and focus groups involving thousands of older adults in the area.  The Academy listened to concerns people had with walking around their neighborhoods and crossing the street.  

Ideas for the neighborhoods’ development and amenities have not been finalized, but one would have businesses voluntarily place stickers in their windows signifying their “age-friendliness” while providing extra benches, adequate lighting and menus with large type.   The Academy and area businesses recognize these changes are important to attract a demographic with strong economic power.

Other street improvements would include increasing crosswalk timing signals to allow elderly more time to cross, more benches on the street and better gutter drainage at intersections.

The full article from the New York Times can be accessed here.

In 2007, National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) collaborated with AARP to create a free 10-week walking program that would promote health and wellness for people over the age of 50.  Research indicates that a healthy lifestyle that includes walking regularly has shown to help “significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, arthritis, and even some cancers.”  The program also promotes healthy living with weekly education sessions on nutrition and fitness. 

As part of its mission, the National Housing Conference’s research affiliate, the Center for Housing Policy, has created a Housing Policy Toolkit in collaboration with AARP called, “Meet the Housing Needs of Older Adults Toolkit” This toolkit is divided into three sections: (1) how to Provide accessible, safe and affordable homes, (2) how to Improve access to social services and transportation options, and (3) how to Support housing models geared to older adults.