AARP

July 14, 2021

Livable Communities Newsletter | AARP.org/Livable

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Publications & Resources

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AARP Age-Friendly Network Member Profile: Sarasota County, Florida

“We’ve been an older community for some time.
But branding ourselves as an age-friendly community takes time,” says Kathy Black (pictured), a co-founder of the county’s age-friendly initiative. “We’re working to educate and show government officials, policymakers and every sector throughout the county that everybody benefits when you design for all ages and all abilities.”

Universal Design and Visitability

As part of being age-friendly, Sarasota County
provides recognition and some benefits to builders and homeowners who create housing that’s accessible for people of all abilities. Learn what makes a home “visitable” and what the standards are for homes featuring Universal Design.

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Livability News & Notes

Green Parks — Aging parkland infrastructure was pushed to the limit in 2020, as the pandemic drove people outdoors in record numbers. Governors and local lawmakers
are now using their American Rescue Plan funds to invest in and revitalize parks and public spaces. Source: Stateline ►

Green Trees — Tree Equity Score data shows that low-income neighborhoods have
fewer trees. There are many reasons why that’s a problem. Source: Fast Company ►

Blue Feelings — People living in dense cities are among the least happy. Their rates of depression are 40 percent higher than other populations, and their rates of anxiety are 20 percent higher. Source: The Dirt ►

AARP NETWORK OF AGE-FRIENDLY STATES AND COMMUNITIES

Scroll through the Member List to see which towns, cities and counties have enrolled in the network. Then learn more about them by following the link to the Livable Map.