Creating Communities for Lifelong Living...
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April 16, 2012 Creating Communities for Lifelong Living (S557) 2012 APA National Conference Brad Calvert, Senior Planner
Transcript of Creating Communities for Lifelong Living...
April 16, 2012
Creating Communities for Lifelong
Living (S557)
2012 APA National Conference
Brad Calvert, Senior Planner
• Demographics and Other Trends – why the aging of the population is now a priority issue
• Meeting Today’s Needs – current needs identified by older adults in the Denver region
• DRCOG’s Boomer Bond:
– key elements
– critical challenges
– lessons learned (so far)
Non-profit, public agency dedicating to serving local governments
Local officials working together to address the region's challenges
Each community has voice in regional decision-making
Program areas:
Regional growth and development
Transportation and traffic operations
Environment
Aging services
Shared services
Advocacy
Authority for the AAA comes from the Older Americans Act
The AAA helps older adults remain in their homes and communities by providing an array of services
Transportation, nutrition, personal care, respite, legal, in-home services, health promotion, caregiver support, elder rights, Native American support
Ombudsman program – serving those that live in nursing homes and assisted living
Information and Assistance
Aging
Well Physical Health physical activity
nutrition/food
security
activities of daily
living
Outlook on Life mental health
self-efficacy
valued by community
spirituality
Connection practical support
social support
engagement in life
hobby
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
% of Population 60 and Older
2006: 1st Boomers
turn 60
County 2012 2017 % Change
Adams 62,034 78,927 27.2%
Arapahoe 97,474 122,842 26.0%
Boulder 50,580 64,397 27.3%
Broomfield 9,154 11,812 29.0%
Clear Creek 2,184 2,662 21.9%
Denver 97,315 112,716 15.8%
Douglas 39,665 54,860 38.3%
Gilpin 1,176 1,511 28.5%
Jefferson 111,170 136,939 23.2%
DRCOG Region 470,752 586,666 24.6%
County 2012 2017 % Change
Adams 16,988 20,978 23.5%
Arapahoe 26,730 31,680 18.5%
Boulder 13,403 15,955 19.0%
Broomfield 2,651 3,191 20.4%
Clear Creek 382 536 40.3%
Denver 30,003 31,855 6.2%
Douglas 7,980 11,485 43.9%
Gilpin 158 245 55.1%
Jefferson 31,473 36,931 17.3%
DRCOG Region 129,768 152,856 17.8%
5-Year Cohort % Change Rank*
70 to 74 43.8% 1
65 to 69 33.2% 2
75 to 79 26.4% 3
Age 90+ 18.7% 4
60 to 64 15.3% 6
* #5 Rank = 20 to 24 cohort (18.1%)
How likely are you to remain in the
community throughout retirement?
61%
25%
7% 7%
Very likely Somewhat
likely
Somewhat
unlikely
Very unlikely
53% have lived in their community for more than 20 years
• Aging Baby Boomers also continue a gravitation to
city lifestyles
• Millenials “wouldn’t be caught dead living at the
end of a suburban cul-de-sac”
• Top markets tend to score high in walkability –
increasingly convenience counts more
More than 1/3 of households
planning on moving in the next
few years want:
ability to walk to neighborhood
amenities
easy access to downtown
neighborhoods with diverse
ethnicity, age, income levels
and housing
69%
57% 49%
36% 35%
Civic engagement Information and
planning
Physical health Mental health Social
Engagement
Representative sample of
11,262 of 60+ households (margin of error +/- 2%)
14%
17%
10%
14%
14%
27%
36%
40%
40%
51%
45%
45%
47%
51%
Sense of community
Neighborliness
Overall services provided to older adults
Openness and acceptance
Valuing older residents
Place to retire
Place to live
Excellent Good
Source: 2010 Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) –
National Research Center
29%
18%
35%
15%
50%
49%
49%
19%
50%
Opportunities to volunteer
Opportunities to attend orparticipate in meetings about localgovernment or community matters
Opportunities to attend religious orspiritual activities
Employment opportunities
Opportunities to enroll in skill-building or personal enrichment
classes
Excellent Good
Source: 2010 Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) –
National Research Center
Having safe and affordable
transportation available 25%
Having housing that suits
your needs 17%
Maintaining your yard 44%
Doing heavy housework 58%
Percent at least a
“minor” problem
Source: 2010 Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) –
National Research Center
7%
10%
8%
28%
24%
33%
34%
39%
45%
53%
Availability of affordable qualityhousing
Ease of bus travel
Variety of housing options
Ease of walking
Ease of car travel
Excellent Good
Source: 2010 Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) –
National Research Center
18%
14%
9%
9%
8%
8%
7%
7%
6%
5%
5%
4%
Transportation
In home Assistance
Congregate/Home Delivered Meals
Handyman/Chore Services
Information and Assistance
Dental, Hearing, Eyeglasses
Respite/ Caregiver Services
Care Management
Legal Services
Adult Day Services
Counseling Services
Ombudsman
Most Critical AAA Services for Older Adults
DRCOG Community
Conversation
Responses
September 2010 –
January 2011
• Communities can facilitate or create
barriers to successful aging
• Promote physical activity and community
engagement
• Support systems reduce burden on
caregivers
• Age-friendly communities benefit all ages
• “The research is clear that even a modest amount
of regular activity will improve seniors’ functioning
and independence.” Journal of Physical Activity and Health
• Living in a mixed-use neighborhood is associated
with better ability to perform daily activities American Journal of Public Health
• Sedentary older adults can save on average $2,200
per year in healthcare costs by simply starting to
exercise moderately. HealthPartners Research Foundation
• EPA Smart Growth and Aging grant (2007)
Removing regulatory barriers
• Element of previous regional plan (2007)
Guidelines for local governments
• Integration of aging throughout regional plan (2010)
“…all ages, incomes and abilities”
• Strategy-specific initiatives (2008 – 2010)
• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs)
• Active lifestyle/senior-friendly communities
• Regional response to dramatic growth in
older adult population From 1 in 8 to 1 in 4 by 2030
Blend of DRCOG’s planning and service approaches
• Create additional capacity at the local
level to support independent aging
• Sharing of best practices and knowledge
in the region and across the country
1. A community assessment tool to facilitate local dialogue and identify priorities
2. A comprehensive set of policies, strategies and tools for local governments to consider
3. A voluntary recognition program to highlight local efforts
4. A voluntary regional agreement to meet the growing needs of an older adult population
Topic Area Brief Description
Mobility and access Ensure older adults have safe and convenient
transportation options
Housing Develop strategies to assist communities in
providing affordable, accessible housing options
Support systems Maximize capacity of local governments and
partners to support independent aging
Community engagement
and education
Identify opportunities that embrace the potential
contributions of older adults
Safety and security Document strategies to make older adults
comfortable in navigating their surroundings
Community design for
active aging
Promote local strategies that integrate physical
activity into daily routines
Current system is auto- dominated
Older adults with disabilities remaining in communities
Limited public transportation options / cost of specialized transit
Low percentage of trips made by transit – particularly for non-workers
Older adults prefer to remain in their homes and communities
Consumer demand for age-friendly design often comes when there is an immediate need
Lack of range of housing options in many communities
Lack of affordable housing alternatives 1/3rd spend too much on
housing
Older adults prefer to remain in their homes and communities
Wide array of groups providing community-based support
Status quo for assisting seniors in unsustainable
Efforts to slow growth in Medicaid spending will add pressure to community-based networks
Understanding the what community engagement means at the local level
Communicating opportunities for engagement, particularly to isolated persons
Managing volunteers and volunteer activities
Difficulty reentering workforce
Many older adults lack
confidence to leave home
to complete daily tasks
Increasingly targeted for
consumer fraud
Effectively leveraging
existing programs
Personal safety identified
as key barrier preventing
transit trips
Neighborhood environment has greatest impact on older adults
Nearly 50% report difficulty crossing main roads
Walking is most common form of physical activity
Little collaboration between aging services and community planners
• Aging conversation more personal than
most planning topics
Will alienate some
Can be a great motivator for others
• Tell the story in as many ways as possible
• Need to compress the long-term challenges
• Recognize challenges that come with
transitioning from concept to local
implementation
• Community assessment tool
Finalize “professional” version
Develop community-based instrument
• Local coordination activities
Identify pilot communities to complete
assessment
Determine tools and strategies of highest interest
• Develop toolkit to respond to local
challenges and opportunities
• Replicate successful models, programs
Lifelong Communities
Innovation in Planning
Atlanta Regional Commission
Atlanta Region Area Agency on
Aging
• Regional Planning Commission
• 1 of 12 AAAs in Georgia
• Ten-county Region
• 539,000 Older Adults
• 20 Aging Service Contractors
2000: 1 in 10
2030: 1 in 5
55+ Population in the Atlanta Region: Preferences, Practices and Potential
Housing 84% own their home
of those who do not:
63% pay rent
29% live with family
If they moved:
49% would downsize
53% would move to be near family
32% would move to a quiet community
26% would move to more affordable housing
55+ Population in the Atlanta Region: Preferences, Practices and Potential
NOW
88% Drive own car
7% Driven by others
4% Public transportation
1% other
Don’t Know
FUTURE
57%
13%
10%
21%
Create Connectivity
Increase Pedestrian Access & Transit
Provide Neighborhood Retail & Services
Design for Social Interaction
Provide a Diversity of Dwelling Types
Design for Healthy Living
Give Consideration for Existing Residents
The Guiding Principles to Create a Lifelong Community
Lifelong Mableton
Why Mableton?
• Mable House Arts Center – Amphitheater – Arts Complex – Historic Mable House
• South Cobb Regional Library
• Cobb Community Transit/GRTA
• WellStar Hospital • Senior Service Programs • Silver Comet Trail • Proximity to Downtown
Atlanta
Lifelong Mableton Local Efforts
• Focus is on creating a livable multi-generational community
• A place where people can grown up and grow old comfortably
• Concentration on the integration of the physical and social features of urban design – Housing – Transportation – Arts – Community Facilities
Regional Context
Mableton Charrette IMPLEMENTATION
• Determine physical layout of the built environment for housing and transportation options in the community
• Duany-Plater Zyberk & Company hired to conduct the charrette, develop an Illustrative Master Plan, the Regulating Plan, and calibrate the Smart Code
• Charrette partners include:
Senior Services Community Development Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs South Cobb Arts Alliance Cobb Chamber of Commerce South Cobb Business Association Lifelong Mableton
Governor Roy Barnes State Senator Stoner State Representative Wix Private development interests Senior housing developers Mableton Improvement Coalition
Metropolitan Atlanta YMCA
CDOT GDOT Atlanta Regional Commission Georgia Power We Can! In Cobb Cobb-Douglas Public Health Land planners and brokers
Mableton – Existing Conditions
Mableton – Future Build Out
Mableton – Town Square
Mableton – School Node
Mableton Charrette - Housing Goals
• Create a diversity of housing types for people of various stages of life
• Create a regulatory mechanism that will allow space to flex over time to meet market demand
• Build community integrated senior housing
Senior Housing or Prison
Senior Housing or Prison
Community Integrated Senior Housing
Mableton Charrette – Transportation Retrofit
Mableton Walkability Assessment
Implementation
• 6 Routes established
• Documented routes, conditions, and barriers
• Influenced the creation of the Form-based Code for Mableton
• Partners include: Lifelong Mableton Mableton Improvement Coalition Mable House Photography Club Cobb County Senior Services We Can! In Cobb
Mableton Charrette - Transportation Goals • Provide a variety of
transportation options
• Expand the transportation grid to reduce block sizes
• Integrate squares and greenspace into the public realm
• Encourage walking to assist with health and wellness
Creating Impact Through Community Presence
Creates a sense of place
Brings people and commerce into the core
Creates activity
Mableton Farmers Market - Summer 2010
Creating a Catalyst for Neighborhood and Community Development
Creates an opportunity for community engagement
Fosters relationship building and new partnerships
Convening and Collaborating to Address Future Development
Friendly streets with destination spots
Connectivity and social interaction
Housing options
Safe streets and sidewalks
Improving Access to Health and Supportive Services
Fuqua Center for Late-Life Depression
