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

Culture Connects All:

A Report from Partners for Livable Communities

Funded by MetLife Foundation

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.

 

Download your free copy of Culture Connects All, and free copies translated in both Chinese and Spanish available on May 15.

 

Click Here to Read More>>

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.

Eight partnerships in the Kansas City Metro Area were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on March 11, 2008. 

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of "housing for older adults." With the Kansas City metropolitan area approaching the two million population mark, these strategies help strengthen "aging in place" services and work to forge new partnerships and broaden the housing options between home and health-care facilities. Click here to view the grants below. 

The grants were provided in conjunction with a Kansas City workshop, titled Housing's Role in the Kansas City Metro Area: Developing a Livable Community for All Ages. The workshop was the fourth of six regional workshops around the country focused on creating livable communities for all ages. The workshops and grants are part of the national Aging in Place Initiative undertaken by Partners for Livable Communities (Partners) and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), with funding provided by MetLife Foundation. The workshop took place at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center on February 4, 2008, and was hosted by the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging, the Mid-America Regional Council, the Shepherd's Center Kansas City Central, and the Wyandotte/Leavenworth Area Agency on Aging.
    
As a result of the workshop and grant opportunities, Kansas City officials believe that the metro area will have a renewed sense of urgency to approach community livability for all. In a city approaching the two-million population mark, with more than 11 percent of the population 65 years old and over, local organizations and individuals are energized to face the challenges that accompany this time of change. 

Kansas City Jumpstart Grants: 

• Center for Practical Bioethics: to fund discounted enrollment for up to ten partners in the "Community of Practice" (COP) COP will be used to clarify issues, identify resources and models, and educate the growing list of partners.The Center for Practical Bioethics will provide facilitation through the COP model that will follow the conclusion of the three-week Aging-Friendly Communities online conference and provide ongoing support for the next six months to sustain interest, encourage participation and educate the partners and participating organizations in myriad efforts and opportunities for leadership. COP will help train participants by accessing and sharing experts from around the country, providing collaboration on successful models at work, and assisting the Center in developing common language and concepts. Archival access to presentations is a key element of this ongoing education. 
• HomeSharing and Metropolitan Community College Foundation: to create the brochure called "Aging in Place Metropolitan Kansas City Resource Guide." Organizations and resources that share the mission of helping seniors to age in place will be the partners in developing this brochure. Their contact information will be compiled, and the brochure will be updated every six months to ensure accurate information and contacts. Participating organizations will meet to develop the scope of this document. A first printing of 1,000 brochures will be delivered to all offices and organizations that agree to have it publicly available to interested persons. 
• InnerLight Ministries, Inc.: to initiate a quarterly event called the "Senior Citizen Community Information Fair." At this event, older adults can identify and locate the service(s) they need. This event will gather organizations from a vast number of services that are already available but are unknown to older adults. Emphasis is placed on services pertaining to housing options, home maintenance, finance, health care, elder care planning, transportation needs, and other support services. This service will unite the older adult community and will be of assistance to a wider range of people outside the aged community, who will eventually be in the same age group as those whom these events are targeting.
• Jewish Family Services: to develop and implement a "Good Neighbors" program for adults age 65 and older. The program is designed to bring the elements of a retirement community to the community at large. Members of the Good Neighbors program can request minor home repairs; chore services; information and referral; transportation; safety/home modifications; and health assessments. The program meets the needs of older adults who desire to remain in their own homes rather than moving to a seniors-only community. This model is a fusion of several innovative programs around the world, including the Beacon Hill Village model in Boston, MA; the Supportive Community model developed by the Association for the Planning and Development of Services for the Aged in Israel; the St. Louis NORC; and the S.A.I.L. program in Madison, Wisconsin. 
• Metropolitan Community College Longview in partnership with the Metropolitan Community College Foundation and KC MASS Services: to host a seminar on housing needs and options for older adults and inform the 50-plus population of specific, innovative housing options to enable them to "age in place." The seminar will provide an opportunity to educate professionals from the building contractor and real estate industries, and it will garner their support and active participation in this initiative. Follow-up classes and seminars will provide additional information on specific aspects of "aging in place."  MCC-Longview will offer supplementary educational and enrichment classes and workshops to enhance an independent lifestyle. With the combined resources of the Metropolitan Community College district, MCC-Longview is positioned to provide educational and support services and elicit established and prospective partnerships in the business and social sectors.
• Metro Lutheran Ministry in partnership with Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association and the City of Kansas City: to create a partnership between one of the largest neighborhood associations in Kansas City with a high number of older adults, the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association, and the City of Kansas City, Missouri, to assist older adults with monitoring and minor home repair work necessary for overall community safety. Through the partnership a quality care system will be developed which will identify and refer older adults who need monitoring of their health and well-being. Participants will be monitored on an ongoing basis and will receive the necessary advocacy to ensure their safety. Older adults will also be referred and will receive necessary repair work on their homes.
• Thomas J. Brown, Jr. Foundation, Inc.: to provide the groundwork to recruit competent and skilled professionals with experience in minor interior and exterior home repair and lawn maintenance that will have a direct and positive impact on older adults. By developing a network of resources, tailored to the needs of seniors, and utilizing funding from local businesses, housing and government agencies, and senior assistance programs, the TJB Foundation will extend its services to a minimum of fifty octogenarians by the end of 2010. With the expansion of the Foundations resources, a wider range services can be extended to Kansas City area residents. Many octogenarians are faced with health, financial, and accessibility issues; it is the goal of the Foundation to provide a portion of relief from the everyday responsibilities of maintaining their residences to a level of dignity that can only enhance their quality of life. The Foundation has recruited companies in the following areas to provide services: HVAC, lawn service, electric, plumbing, roofing, gutter service, carpentry, and painting.
• University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc. in partnerships with the University of Kansas Medical Center - Occupational Therapy Education, Physical Therapy Education, and Teaching and Learning Technology departments: to develop a collaborative educational tool for students to begin exploring ways to modify a home environment for facilitating "aging in place." Students will explore a two-story home in a virtual environment, assess how the home meets the needs of an aging adult, and make recommendations for changes to the home.  Students will revisit the modified virtual home and determine if their recommended changes were successful choices for supporting older adults at home. This experience allows students to try different modifications, make errors, and determine alternative solutions. The result of this educational tool will be to better prepare students as future clinicians for assessing the home environment and assisting families with "aging in place" options.

Eight organizations and partnerships in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant on February 2, 2009.

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and theme of "transportation and mobility options".  These strategies are aimed at the over 11 percent of residents age 65 and over in the two counties, and will encourage services that strengthen "aging in place" and increases accessibility to transportation and fosters independence among older adults.

The Grantees followed the Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties workshop on November 17, 2008; titled Increasing Transportation and Mobility Options: Creating Livable Miami-Dade & Monroe Counties for All Ages. 

Greater Miami Region Jumpstart Grants 

• The North County Citizens Association 
  To discuss a pickup service, with the purpose of allowing older citizens unable to drive or access transportation to conduct necessary tasks such as doctor’s appointments and trips to the grocery store.  The NCCA is a voluntary organization dedicated to improving the community.  Many of its members are senior citizens, and this program would be an avenue for the community to give back to them.
• Miami Lakes Town Foundation in partnership with The Alliance for Aging, Inc. 
  To hold a series of community meetings to evaluate the transportation needs of older adults in the Miami Lakes area.  The forums will be held once a month over a four month period and will encourage dialogue surrounding the issues of town public transportation, Miami-Dade county Public Transportation, as well as existing and planned trail systems.  The goal is to develop a strategy that will best coordinate accessibility to existing and planned programs, services and facilities to the aging population.
• The City of Coral Gables in partnership with The Alliance for Aging, Inc.  
  To implement a pilot program of subsidized taxicab fares for people ages 65 and over.  Seniors would be able to purchase coupons at Coral Gables City Hall and the Coral Gables Youth Center.  These facilities are both accessible and well known to residents of the city.  It is the hope that this program will demonstrate an efficient way for seniors to use existing transportation systems while still having the flexibility and independence associated with driving one’s own vehicle
• The Miami Behavioral Health Center (MBHC) 
  To promote a “Mobility Maps” program to seniors in the Miami-Dade area.  “Mobility Maps” will alert seniors to different transportation options based on their own specific transportation needs.  Each individual mobility map will provide descriptions of possible destinations as well as different methods of getting to each locale.  In addition to providing group sessions to create these maps, which can also serve to create social networks and improve psychosocial functioning, the MBHC will provide training to aging agencies and health service providers to maximize the number of seniors benefitting from this program.
• The William Lehman Injury Research Center
  To improve a multi-faceted safe crossings program in response to Miami being ranked the third highest county in regards to pedestrian injuries.  The research center plans on using education, promotional and cultural materials to address the issue specifically in regards to the over 65 population.  Current materials will also be translated in Spanish and Creole in order to increase the scope of the project across language barriers.
• The County of Monroe in partnership with The Alliance for Aging, Inc.  
  To investigate a solution to inefficient transportation (especially for older adults and pedestrians) between Monroe County and the Florida Keys.  Three planning sessions will be held to brainstorm ideas, including ways to make transportation more “green” and cost effective.
• The Miami Lighthouse for the Blind in partnership with The Alliance for Aging, Inc.  
  To explore and implement a community based independent transportation network (ITN) in Miami-Dade County.  Using a combination of both paid and volunteer drivers, the ITN will be available 24-hours a day to transport seniors to local destinations.  After a series of meetings, a pilot community will be chosen to serve as an example of increase senior mobility that can be implemented citywide.
• The Alliance for Aging, Inc. 
  To engage local and national experts on issues of senior transportation access in Miami-Dade, and to incorporate these issues into the county’s master transportation plan.  Three meetings will be hosted over a 6-month period and will focus on pedestrian needs and planning, and roadway improvement.  The meetings will serve as a follow-up to the Aging in Place workshop in November, with the goal of engaging traffic engineers and key stakeholders in issues related to aging and the public infrastructure, highlighting best practices in community transportation, and encouraging dialogue that will lead to positive changes.

Eight organizations and partnerships in the St. Louis Region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant in July 2009. Click here to view the jumpstart grants below. 

The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of Universal Design and Accessibility. As part of the Aging in Place Initiative, the St. Louis Metro Region was selected by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging to host one of a series of dynamic national workshops highlighting the opportunity to improve livability for persons of all ages. 

Held on April 28, 2009, Designing Places and Spaces for Now and in the Future: Creating a Livable St. Louis Region for All Ages gathered key innovators and representatives from across the Region to help identify strategies to improve homes that are universally designed and communities that are welcoming for all. Attendees learned how to JumpStart the Conversation on aging and apply for a special grant given to unique partnerships taking action on Aging in Place. The grants are intended to stimulate innovative action at the local level. As a result of the workshops and grant opportunities, communities will have a renewed sense of urgency on approaching community livability for all as well as an energized group of organizations and individuals collaborating to face the challenges that accompany this time of change.

As part of the national movement to promote the “Aging in Place” Initiative, which is aimed at helping older Americans remain in their communities, the St. Louis metropolitan region was selected to host one in a series of national workshops sponsored by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities (Partners), and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a). The workshop was co-hosted by the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, Area Agency on Aging of Southwestern Illinois, and Mid-East Area Agency on Aging.

The local discussion complemented the dynamic national conversation taking place on aging and will highlight the creative work already occurring in the region to make it a first-rate place for all age groups. This workshop was a unique opportunity for local leaders to begin looking at the region and to hear how other communities have begun to create livable communities. 

Missouri is consistently ranked as one of the states in the country with the oldest population—it’s expected that 15 percent of all Missouri residents will be aged 65 and older by 2015. The number of persons 60 and older in Illinois is projected to increase by 77% from 2 million in 2006 to 3.6 million in 2030.  One in every five Illinoisans will be 60 years of age and older by 2030.In preparation for this, local leaders are calling for strategies to help strengthen “Aging in Place” services.

Workshop speakers and panelists focused on strategies for buildings that are universally designed and communities that are welcoming for all. Following the discussion, participants are invited to learn about a new Community Assessment Tool devised to measure the readiness of places and spaces. The conversation continued by through the following Jumpstart the Conversation Grants. 

St. Louis Jumpstart Grants

• Bi-Lingual International Assistant Services in partnership with Delta Medical and JAD Housing LLC
  To retrofit an apartment with grab bars and handrails to serve as a model for an awareness campaign aimed at encouraging landlords to make these same small changes to all their apartment units so they are accessible for those who are aging in place.  
• Mid-East Area Agency on Aging Foundation with the City of O’Fallon
  To conduct a comprehensive livable community assessment of the City of O’Fallon which will encourage awareness of the resources available, identify new resources that can meet the needs of older adults, and encourage community leadership to act on these issues. Local highs schools, community colleges, and universities will be involved in conducting the assessments and writing the final report thus becoming involved with the community needs and issues and interacting positively with older adults in the process.  
• Main Street Community Center with Faith in Action Edwardsville
  To create a resource guide for Edwardsville's older adults, their families and their caregivers, and to ensure its widespread distribution.
• Concern Citizen Group of Illinois with Lutheran Child and Family Services (for Fathers) of Illinois
  To strategize on intergenerational programs that suit community needs for the new Recreation Center currently being built. Strategizing sessions will include community forums and neighborhood meetings.
• Bond County Senior Citizens Center, Inc.
  To perform a community assessment that will 1) assess currently available assets available to serve the existing and future older adult populations; 2) determine the additional assets needed to meet their needs; 3) develop a plan to address unmet needs; 4) communicate findings and plans to leaders and decision makers; 5) launch a relevant and exciting initial project; and 6) serve in an advisory capacity to assist in the implementation and monitoring of future activity.   
• University of Missouri Extension Gerontology Program in partnership with South Grand Senior Ministries
  To provide an opportunity for a Gerontology social work practicum student to perform focused interview sessions with neighborhood residents, cost analyses, and execution of a project that will improve safety and accessibility features and help ensure successful aging-in-place for older residents. Principles from the Gerontology course, “Successful Aging in the Built Environment” will be explored and implemented.
• The Area Agency on Aging of Southwestern Illinois with the American Institute of Architects (St. Louis)
  To plan and execute a design charette for the community of New Baden, IL with the goal of producing a series of feasible strategies to address accessibility concerns identified by the community.
• The Starkloff Disability Institute
  To produce a white paper on universal design that 1) outlines key challenges of universal housing that must be addressed for it to proliferate; and 2) outlines a national campaign to promote universal housing features to industry leaders and consumers.

As part of the Aging in Place Initiative, the San Antonio Region was selected by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) to host one of a series of dynamic national workshops highlighting the opportunity to improve livability for persons of all ages. The Jumpstart the Conversation Grantees followed the workshop held on June 11, 2009; titled Redesigning Communities for Aging in Place: Developing a Livable San Antonio Metro Region for All Ages.

Redesigning Communities for Aging in Place gathered key innovators and representatives from across the region to discuss a topic of great importance to San Antonio. Workshop speakers and panelists focused on assets already in place and how they can be improved, particularly health and wellness, social integration, planning and mobility. Attendees learned how to JumpStart the Conversation on aging and apply for a special grant given to unique partnerships taking action on Aging in Place.

The local discussion at the workshop, and continued in the grants, complemented the dynamic national conversation taking place on aging and will highlight the creative work already occurring in the region to make it a first-rate place for all age groups. This workshop is a unique opportunity for local leaders to begin looking at the region and to hear how other communities have begun to create livable communities. The Alamo Area Council of Governments’ region is home to over 345,000 residents who are aged 60 and over. In 2020, this number is projected to increase to almost 500,000 residents.  The demographics of this group are also becoming increasingly diverse.

In preparation for this, local leaders are calling for strategies to help strengthen “Aging in Place” services. Workshop speakers and panelists focused on assets already in place and how they can be improved, particularly health and wellness, social integration, planning and mobility. "San Antonio has always been a caring community, and as our Baby Boomer population increases, that will become even more important," said Mayor Phil Hardberger. "We must continue to cultivate a senior-friendly environment - with improvements in infrastructure, for example - so our seniors can continue living full lives. They have much to contribute, and we have much to learn from them." 

The grants are intended to stimulate innovative action at the local level. As a result of the workshops and grant opportunities, communities in San Antonio will have a renewed sense of urgency on approaching community livability for all as well as an energized group of organizations and individuals collaborating to face the challenges that accompany this time of change.

 San Antonio Jumpstart Grants

• The Alamo Area Council of Governments in partnership with the Alamo and Bexar Area Agencies on Aging
  To bring Asset-Based Community Development training to stakeholders on the Aging issue in the San Antonio region. The training will enable the organizations and partner agencies to conduct targeted planning activities in local communities in the regions to assist in identifying the already existing assets that can be utilized to enhance the Aging in Place planning process for the area. 
• Education lnvestment Foundation (EIF), the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) and MedTeam, Inc. 
  To develop a positive media outreach program to assist elderly and disabled citizens with information on housing opportunities, and needed services in San Antonio, Texas.
• Greater Randolph Area Services Program, Inc. (GRASP) in partnership with the City of Live Oak 
  To begin a program to help seniors who are unable to handle the normal maintenance and care of their homes, for either physical or financial reasons. This program will help seniors with small home maintenance, lawn care, and landscaping issues. The program will be called “Our Community Cares in Live Oak” and will recruit volunteers with experience in home repair and maintenance to carry out the jobs. 
• Jefferson Outreach
  To provide a special type of transportation service to seniors in their community that will even further improve their quality of life by recruiting young volunteers to provide transportation for “extra services” such as salons, banks, malls and other places which will enhance their lives and allow them to remain part of their community.
• Northeast Senior Assistance
  To create a return visit program by nurses to re-evaluate clients whose health or living condition may have changed over time. The return visit will be scheduled for clients during their five year anniversary and every five years thereafter. This additional initiative will help identify potential issues before they become problems impacting clients’ ability to remain in their own homes.
• San Antonio Time Dollar Community Connections
  To start a CareBank service for mainly Spanish speaking seniors on the Westside of San Antonio that will provide an affordable transportation system and a social network of people who can rely on each other. Members who join the Care Bank will have the opportunity to socialize with other seniors and members and utilize flexible, affordable, accessible transportation and replace social isolation with a social network providing a sense of community and extended family.

Four organizations and partnerships in the Richmond Region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant in August 2009. The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of engaging community leaders for improving the livability of Richmond for all ages.

The Richmond grants followed the Aging in Place workshop held on June 17, 2009; titled Engaging Community Leaders in the Process: Creating a Livable Richmond Area for All Ages. 

 

Richmond Jumpstart Grants 

• Richmond Public Schools Educational Foundation, Inc. in partnership with Thomas H. Henderson Middle School and the Education Subcommittee of the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce
  To develop mentoring and enrichment relationships between students from Henderson Middle School and senior citizens from the surrounding neighborhood. As part of an expanding relationship between the school and its neighborhood, Henderson also wants to open its doors to the senior community in expanded venues for direct student contact, as well as, making school facilities available to senior citizens for evening events. 
• ElderHomes Corporation in partnership with Richmond Community Development Alliance
  To plan a one day bus tour of area housing for the purpose of educating community leaders about residential needs and housing issues that affect seniors. The tour will feature stops at various housing alternatives and focus on senior friendly community development.
• Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging in partnership with United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg, AARP Virginia, the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, the Greater Richmond Chamber, A Community Partnership 
  To develop a 2030 Age Wave Plan for the Richmond Metropolitan Region that will focus on the areas of Economic Development, Built Environment and Long-Term Care. The project will involve a year long process to identify ways to enhance livable communities, promote strategies for aging in place advocacy, increase community awareness, agree on ways to increase access to resource and determine action steps/time table for the development of the comprehensive 2030 Plan. The outcome will be a Toolkit for creating livable communities for all ages.
• Family Lifeline
  To host a series of Aging Education Seminars hosted by Richmond’s ElderFriends program that will help to decrease social isolation of seniors enrolled in program and increase knowledge of and access to community-based resources. Participants will include ElderFriends volunteers, elder citizens, and community partners. Each seminar will focus on a topic relevant to aging—Healthy Aging In Place, the Changing Community Demographic, Livable Communities for All Ages, etc.

Two major programs and partnerships in the Chattanooga Region were each awarded a "JumpStart the Conversation" grant in September 2009. The winning projects exemplify the use of innovative ideas focused on creating livable communities for all ages and the theme of Building Partnerships. Click here to view the grants below. 

 

 

As part of the national movement to promote the “Aging in Place” Initiative, which is aimed at helping older Americans remain in their communities, the Chattanooga Metro Area has been selected to host one in a series of national workshops to consider creating livable communities for all ages.  These workshops are being sponsored by MetLife Foundation, Partners for Livable Communities (Partners), and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a).

The Chattanooga workshop, titled Building Partnerships: Creating a Livable Community for All Ages (Choose Chattanooga: Come Live with Us),  was held on 30, 2009.  The event was be co-hosted by the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability, Choose Chattanooga, the City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Morning Pointe, the Greater Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, and the Tennessee Multicultural Chamber of Commerce.

Steve Witt, Director of the Southeast Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability, stated that “Community leaders have already seen enormous goals met that contribute to Chattanooga being a place that appeals to people of all ages.  It is exciting to be part of an initiative that can help us continue to move forward.”

Chattanooga Jumpstart Grants 

• Friends of Outdoor Chattanooga and Active Living and Transportation Network
  To explore new partnerships within the senior community and be able to expand programming to better reach the older adult demographic and promote active transportation through bicycling. Two workshops will be held for active seniors and related agencies to develop opportunities to promote the safe use of bicycling for transportation and recreation, especially in the urban core area. 
• Get Online Event: A community-wide, multi-generational interactive opportunity
  The following organizations will be working together for the first time ever through a brand new partnership formed to improve community-wide communication and civic involvement by teaching basic, practical computer skills at the “Get OnLine” Event. This “learning event” will be a community-wide, multi-generational interactive opportunity. Continued partner efforts will help members adapt to what older adult learners want and need to know to thrive in a livable community, as well as how to engage additional partners to further collaborative efforts.
• "Choose Chattanooga" and The Chattanooga Health and Performance Institute
  To coordinate marketing, promotion and continued collaboration among partners for the “Get OnLine” event which will improve communication between service providers and the citizens they serve, with a special emphasis on the older adult citizens.
• Friends of the Library
  To host several computer technology training events at area branches using existing computers with internet access and to educate technically illiterate and disenfranchised older adult members of the community. 
• Senior Neighbors
  To host several computer technology training events at area senior centers using existing computers with internet access.  Senior Neighbors is the area’s largest outreach organization reaching senior citizens in often underserved locations across Hamilton County. Recently added new computers and internet access, but instruction resources are limited and services are underutilized. Through partnership support — Senior Neighbors’ will reach a larger portion of the older demographic. 
• Alton Park Development Corporation
  To host older adult computer classes at Alton Park area community centers, one of Chattanooga’s most economically distressed and impoverished areas.  
• Southeast Development Foundation 
  To coordinate and establish a mature workers job club and provide technology and computer training to members of that community as more people in this age group struggle to gain the latest job skills to find second careers in their later years. 
• City of Chattanooga Department of Education, Arts & Culture
  To provide computer training to senior citizens through workshops, instruction and access to computers and internet at the Senior Activity Center, located at Eastgate Town Center. Due to underfunding there is currently a waiting list of more than 300 Senior Citizens waiting to learn basic computer skills. They are currently not being served at all because there are no instructors to meet the demand. Grant monies will fund instruction otherwise unavailable.
• City of Chattanooga Department of Parks and Recreation
  To provide computer training to disenfranchised citizens through workshops, instruction and access to computers and internet at the Brainerd Recreation Center. Computers and internet access was recently installed at the rec centers—however these new services are not utilized because of a lack of education and available training. This event will allow them to reach the older adult population served by this rec-center.
• Chattanooga State Technical Community College
  To host classes at its campus and provide school trained instructors and educational materials. Classes will be available to older adult members of the public who would otherwise be unable to afford such instruction.
• Association of Visual Arts
  To serve as a centrally located learning facility and resource center for digital content development and creative self expression and to offer technology and photography training classes at the Chattanooga media center to older adults who would be otherwise unable to afford such instruction. AVA will target lifelong learners who seek customized training instruction for their careers or personal development.  

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. 

Last month, the New York State Senate passed legislation to mandate the development of bicycle and pedestrian paths with any new or reconstructed public road. This bill is crucial since New York is among the states with the most dangerous streets, particularly for young children and older adults. Certainly a step in the right direction, for this policy to be effective, it must be expanded to include all roads, to encourage greater levels of physical activity and ensure safety for all. In order to understand the magnitude of this first legislative step, it is helpful to understand the events which have led up to the current problem for pedestrians.

Under the Eisenhower administration, the construction of the highway system allowed for increased opportunities for both trade and interstate travel. This, in turn, created a trend towards design which catered to our most prominent mode of transportation, the automobile. However, as an unintended consequence, health and walkability issues increased.

Over the past few decades, many groups, such as AARP and Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Alliance, have advocated for increased bicycle and pedestrian pathways for healthier and safer transportation alternatives. As a result, this transportation movement has led to campaigns such as Safe Routes to School and Complete Streets. While these efforts began as safety measures for school children, they have evolved into ones which encompass the ideals of Aging in Place, Healthy Communities, and Smart Growth.

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Enterprise Community Partners provides extensive housing assistance to older adults.  Their portfolio includes more than 30,000 rental homes, worth a total of $1.7 billion of investments in quality of life and well-being for this target group.  Their efforts encompass both financial and operational solutions to senior housing owners so that they may, comfortably and affordably, maintain their current residence.