Age Friendly Communities are more “livable,” providing opportunities for work and leisure and are inclusive of all residents.
Age Friendly communities enable people of all ages to actively participate in community activities and treat everyone with respect, regardless of their age. They are places that makes it easy for older people to stay connected to the people that are important to them. They help people stay healthy and active – even at the oldest ages – and provide appropriate support to those who cannot look after themselves. As the U.S. population ages and people stay healthy and active longer, communities must adapt. Well-designed, livable communities promote health and sustain economic growth, and make for happier, healthier residents.
Livability
To make designing an Age Friendly Berkshires manageable, 8 Areas of Livability were identified, that can roughly be divided into the physical, or built-environment and the social, or non-built environment:
Physical Environment
Communication & Information
Housing/Buildings
Transportation
Outdoor/Public Spaces
Social Environment
Community & Health Services
Respect & Social Inclusion
Social Participation
Civic Engagement & Employment