HOW AARP IS FIGHTING FOR YOU
AARP Works for Livable Communities
IN LESS than a decade, if U.S. Census projections hold, the number of Americans age 65-plus will outnumber those 18 and under for the first time in our history. Mostly, this growing number of older Americans want to age in their current homes. And they want their neighborhoods and cities to be safe, easy to get around and responsive to their needs.
AARP’s livable communities team works with towns and cities across the country to share solutions for making neighborhoods, streets, transportation and homes more suitable for people 65-plus. Here’s a look at some of what they do.
→ AARP Livability Index. How well is your community meeting the needs of older residents? Find out by using the AARP Livability Index, an online tool that scores every U.S. community and neighborhood across seven categories of livability: housing, neighborhood, transportation, environment, health, engagement and opportunity. Users can check out what is important to them—say, lots of public transportation or affordable housing—and get a detailed score. The National Association of Realtors shares the data with clients who are looking to move to a new location. Find the index at livabilityindex.aarp.org.
→ A home fit for aging. Most Americans tell AARP they want to stay in their home as long as possible. But that can be a challenge. The AARP HomeFit resource can help. It is an illustrated guide with more than 100 tips about changes to make your home safer, more comfortable and easier to get around. The guide offers ideas for how to incorporate improvements that work within your budget and design aesthetic.
→ Keeping family close. More communities are allowing accessory dwelling units—ADUs—which can enable an older family member to live on the same property as others in privacy and with dignity. AARP has publications and videos about how to add an ADU to your property.
→ A helping hand. AARP Community Challenge grants help communities build safer crosswalks, add parks, create bike lanes and walking paths, and much more. Since the program’s debut in 2017, AARP has awarded $16.4 million through more than 1,370 grants in 900 communities reaching 100 million people. The grant program is part of the nationwide AARP Livable Communities initiative.
To find out how AARP is reaching these goals, go to aarp.org/livable. —Rodney Harrell, AARP vice president, family, home and community
AARP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board Chair Lloyd E. Johnson, First Vice Chair Beth Ellard, Second Vice Chair Robert Blancato, Governance Committee Chair Margot James Copeland, Joseph F. Coughlin, Jeffrey D. Dunn, Jo Ann Jenkins, Rosanna A. Márquez, Alan Murray, Julio Portalatin, Marie Quintero-Johnson, Libby Sartain, David Windley