Re-creating Neighborhoods for Successful Aging

The aging of the U.S. population and the rising average life span are transforming current perspectives on growing older, retirement, and senior living communities. To ensure that environments meet the changing needs of older adults, a reconception of housing, communities, and neighborhoods is required. Re-creating Neighborhoods for Successful Aging provides the foundation for confronting this pressing challenge.

Drawing from the fields of gerontology, health sciences, community planning, landscape architecture, and environmental design, this groundbreaking resource provides an in-depth examination of current elder housing practices and strategies, alongside goals for the future. Housing models, such as continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), shared housing, and co-housing, are evaluated, and best practice recommendations are presented.

Expert contributors also incisively explore interdisciplinary issues including

the causal relationship between health and the environment

challenges posed by America s automobile-dependent suburban communities

elder-friendly design principles, including universal design and defensible space

restorative benefits of nature and green environments

assistive technology that can support older adults independence

retrofitting of naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs)

The book closes with an inspiring look at opportunities for future collaboration of the health sciences and the planning and design professions for the realization of supportive, life-affirming communities that will result in healthy aging, active living, and continued social participation for older adults.

This compilation of research and practice is a vital tool for gerontologists, public health professionals, senior living administrators, rural and urban planners, architects, landscape architects, and policy makers.