Aging in Place

Ben Brown, writing for Placeshakers, on the idea of aging in place:

The big push among advocates for seniors has been to build new homes and customize old ones for successful “aging in place.” Almost all of the emphasis has been on universal design, on assuring accessibility in individual homes through design and remodeling choices that make it easier to get around in wheel chairs, reach stuff in cabinets and on countertops and assure safety in bathrooms. But aging in places that isolate seniors in their homes, regardless of how easy it is to climb out of the bath tub, is not going to get at the bigger problem. Especially in an era in which the very demographic forces that have served us Boomers so well turn on us when we need help most. Says Nelson:

The American dream of owning one’s own home may result in millions of senior households living in auto-dependent suburban homes which have lost value compared to smaller homes in more central locations where many of their services will be located.

We all should be for strategies that allow for successful aging in place. But for the strategies to offer meaningful advantages to both seniors and their communities, they have to begin with making the right places.

There is so much to be gained, for both seniors and the community, by integrating seniors into thriving multi-generational communities that encourage independence and active living. The interweaving of diverse people into the tight knit fabric of community brings so much vitality and life, so much richness, into the lives of all. True community is a celebration of the diversity of humanity. Our places should reflect that.