March 27, 2024
AARP - Livable Communities Newsletter
Visit Us  |  About Us  |  Publications and Resources  |  Livability Topics

Launched in 2019, AARP Rural Lab reaches more than 250 communities — from a small town with 50 residents to regions with populations of 200,000 or more — that are invited by AARP to meet and share information that rural and remote area can use to kick-start innovative solutions to local challenges. Some of those solutions are shared in the collections below.

 
A small house under contruction
Increasing Housing Options
The housing challenges encountered by older residents can be especially daunting in rural areas, where limited housing choices can restrict mobility, increase isolation and create a barrier to essential services. 
SOLUTIONS FROM ALASKA, MAINE AND SOUTH DAKOTA
 
A boulder with the words "Gratitude: What am I grateful for?"
Inclusion and Social Connections
Since communities that nurture connections are often more resilient in the face of economic fluctuations and other changes, local leaders and nonprofits often work to bring neighbors together, sometimes around food, gardening or a shared history.
SOLUTIONS FROM NEBRASKA, OHIO AND WISCONSIN
 
A photo of a "smart speaker" on a bed stand
Strengthening Digital Equity
According to the Federal Communications Commission, 22 percent of rural residents and 28 percent of people living on tribal lands do not have access to high-speed internet. (The image shows a connected smart speaker.) Among city dwellers that figure hovers around just 2 percent.
SOLUTIONS FROM MASSACHUSETTS, N.C. AND MAINE
 
SHARE THE NEWSLETTER
ORDER FREE PUBLICATIONS
AARP.org/Livable Contact Us
Manage Your Account Unsubscribe from Livable Communities Emails Unsubscribe From All AARP Email
AARP ©1995-2025. All rights reserved. 601 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20049 |  Privacy Policy