The population of older adults is getting larger and older. By 2030, 1 of every 5 people in the United States will be age 65 or older. We know that older adults want to remain in their home and their community - they want to age in place. Older adults and younger alike want to live in a community where they can safely walk to their grocery stores, doctors, museums, and concert halls - features known as livable, age-friendly communities.
AARP has been on a quest since 2012, when it launched the AARP Age-Friendly Network of States and Communities, to help communities become even more livable. The network's goal is to make where we reside more livable for people of all ages and abilities. An age-friendly community focuses on delivering services and building infrastructure to better serve us as we age. As such, enhanced livability offers more affordable housing, improved transportation opportunities, and greater social connectedness that enable older adults to age in place longer and more independently. It just so happens that younger and older generations want these amenities.
In Florida, 43 communities and the State of Florida are part of the Age-Friendly Network. Nationally there are over 570 communities and 8 states and 1 territory engaged in the work. What does this look like in the Tampa Bay Area? In Tampa Bay, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, and Tampa are recognized as part of the Age-Friendly network. If someone wants to learn more about this work or even small things they can do to make their neighborhood more livable they can find out more at www.aarp.org/tampabay
