Photos and Key Features of Age Friendly Communities
Photos and Key Features of Age-Friendly Communities AARP Livable Communities
Ask about the AARP Livability Index by completing this .
AARP Members: For questions about your benefits, AARP The Magazine or the AARP Bulletin, visit the page or call 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277). Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
Livable Communities A Show and Tell
Walkability places to gather outdoor spaces These features and more make a city town or neighborhood a livable place for being 50-plus — or any age
Livable Places For All Ages
The common features of a livable commmunity involve a place that’s safe, has usable outdoor spaces, provides opportunities for work and play, and includes needed services and effective ways to get around, no matter a person's age or life stage.A Town Center
The original downtown in Suwanee, Ga., was historic, but off the beaten path. The city's still new, built-from-scratch town center is now a busy gathering place with shops, eateries, an outdoor amphitheater and a splash fountain for kids.Sidewalks and Streetlights
Sidewalks can be destinations, such as in Charlottesville, Va., where the sidewalks on E. Main Street provide room enough for dining as well as passersby. Street-level light fixtures illuminate the area after dark. Trees and umbrellas supply shade.People Power
Pedestrian-only byways are so rare that in many communities the only safe place to go for a walk is inside a shopping mall. This outdoor mall on Church Street in Burlington, Vt., is a "totally hopping place, even in cold weather," says a resident.Follow the Red Brick Road
Brick crosswalks at the busy intersection of Elm and East Broad streets in downtown Westfield, N.J., provide clear indicators of where drivers should stop and pedestrians should (ideally) walk to more safely cross the road.Safe Passage
Getting from a bus stop on Manchaca Road in South Austin, Texas, to the senior center across the way required nerves of steel. (See the video link below left.) AARP members lobbied for a crosswalk and traffic signal — and won!No Bumps in the Road
As part of a renovation project in Houston, a rocky path received a facelift. Now, the Navigation Boulevard walkway can be safely used by everyone for whom loose gravel and broken cement are an accident waiting to happen.A Community Living Room
Manhattan's Stuyvesant Town apartments date to the 1940s, but it's only been a few years since the ground floors of several buildings were converted into community spaces, including a café, a children’s center and (left) a shared reading room.Paths and Picnic Tables
A decade ago, Suwanee, Ga., had less than 25 acres of parks and trails. The city's strategic plan to increase and preserve its green spaces has resulted in more than 325 acres of parks, paths, playgrounds and (see the next slide) gardens.Growing Together
The Harvest Farm Community Garden — the largest organic garden in Georgia — is owned and operated by the city of Suwanee. Raised planting beds are rented by residents and (if any of the 76 plots remain) non-residents too.Fitness and Fresh Air
Just steps from the public library, the Community Wellness Park in the Canadian city of Sidney is an outdoor exercise space. Offerings include cardio steppers, a mobility rehabilitator and Tai Chi wheels.Ways to Get Around
Not everyone has a driver's license, or owns a car. Safe, reliable, public transportation options (such as these buses in Burlington, Vt.) can help people make their town, city or community a lifelong home.Places to Sit and Wait
Traveling by bus, train, foot or bicycle are useful ways to be out and about. If the weather turns bad, or tired feet need a break, outdoor shelters (such as this one along the Vermont side of Lake Champlain) are a welcome refuge.Your Livable Community
Think about the places you frequent. Do the locations have appealing, livable features? Perhaps you’ve been involved in livability efforts. Show and tell us by emailing or Tweeting an image to .Stay Informed — For Free
The weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities e-Newsletter provides local leaders with information and inspiration for making their town, city or neighborhood more livable for older adults and people of all ages.AARP org Livable
Enter a topic, name, place, etc. See past issues:Our Free Publications
See the complete list atFollow Us
Facebook: Twitter:Contact Us
Email AARP Livable Communities at .Ask about the AARP Livability Index by completing this .
AARP Members: For questions about your benefits, AARP The Magazine or the AARP Bulletin, visit the page or call 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277). Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures