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.

As the Baby Boom generation reaches retirement age, the number of Americans over the age of 65 is expected to reach 71.5 million by 2030, twice the population than in 2000.  Additionally, the number of people living in cities is projected to rise as well, making them more crowded and more diverse in age and numbers.   Despite our growing urban and elderly populations, public amenities do not meet the needs of older adults to keep them safe and healthy.  Governing editor, Ted Newcombe, points out that unsafe intersections are just one of the many issues negatively affecting the livability of people over the age of 60.  He realizes that some changes will be challenging to overcome, but there are smaller steps that cities can take to make places more livable for older adults.  Lengthening crosswalk times, adding pedestrian islands at intersections, and making more sidewalk cutaways are some ways of aiding older adults in our cities.

Many cities have responded to this growing issue by developing integrated research, planning, and policy agendas to promote active aging and smart growth in various city-wide and regional efforts.  These agendas are based on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Aging Initiative Model developed in 2002 to create a national agenda for the Environment and the Aging that keeps people of all ages active, mobile, and healthy.

Both Philadelphia and New York have launched major projects committed to creating an age-friendly city that ultimately benefits everyone.  Under the leadership of Mayor Bloomberg, New York City has created a pilot program that uses school buses to transport seniors to grocery stores.  The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging has developed a public parks checklist for the development and revitalization of age-friendly parks that are inviting and accessible to people of all ages and abilities.  Programs such as these are pivotal in making cities more livable and accessible, and are essential in forming future sustainable communities.

However, cities remain difficult places for a person of any age to manage.  Express your concerns about a particular intersection you find dangerous to a local community center.  Take note of public entrances and walking paths.  Act to change unsafe or unfair public spaces that you find important that can make your community more livable for everyone.  Age-friendly cities truly benefit all by making the places we live, walk, and explore better planned.