What’s your neighborhood score for aging in place?

Source: Builder

Many older adults say they want to stay put in their homes as they age. But how many older adults will actually be able to do so is another question. A recent AARP study showed that 71 percent of 50 to 64 year olds want to stay in their homes and their current communities. But communities aren’t being built with the options that people need to age well. The idea of a livable community is one that has housing, transportation, and other options that allow people to stay and thrive in their homes, AARP said.

The features that people want the most are bus stops, grocery stores, pharmacies, and parks, the AARP study found. “All of these things have a direct association to what a community can deliver to help independent living. The idea being that access to transportation gives mobility and access to grocery stores provides healthy foods and access to pharmacies provides medicine and access to parks would be for physical health. So all of it comes back to building a community with options that are not limited to your current status or lifestyle,” the study said.