A national survey released in 2006 found that a majority of America’s communities are not yet prepared for the “age wave” that will soon hit them. With the rapid rise in the number of aging Baby Boomers - by 2030 one in every five Americans will be over the age of 65 - communities will be challenged to provide transportation, appropriate affordable housing options, and other supportive services for their aging citizens.

The Egyptian Area Agency on Aging, in partnership with the SIUC School of Social Work (SSW) and School of Architecture (S of A), is participating in the “Livable Communities” project. This effort encourages communities to assess their readiness for the age wave and take action. Using focus groups made up of community leaders and older members, plus surveys and an evaluation of the community, information will be provided to public policy makers that will help them develop goals and resources.

Graduate level students from SIUC (SSW) will help lead the focus groups in Carbondale and Cairo. Other communities will be assessed in the future. The students of the SIUC (SSW) will help evaluate the data collected and develop recommendations for each community.

Students of SIUC (S of A) are surveying buildings and land-use issues in the two communities. Recommendations from this portion of the project will be used to help Carbondale and Cairo write land-use development plans as these communities grow.

The Livable Communities project will find out what people expect from their community when they retire and when they are near retirement age. Helping communities prepare for the future will help to encourage retirees to remain here rather than seek the services and programs they want elsewhere.

The Egyptian Area Agency on Aging has modeled the Livable Communities project on community evaluations developed by AARP and the National Association of Area Agencies. Early recognition of the impact of the baby boom generation should help communities to plan better for the future.

Detailed procedures and practical solutions will be explored in the areas of housing, planning and zoning, transportation, health and supportive services, public safety, civic engagement, culture and lifelong learning. In addition, local community leaders will be assembled to help advance “aging in place” priorities in all civic plans, programs, and policies that exist or are under development.

For more information about the Livable Communities project, contact the Egyptian Area Agency on Aging by using the link below.

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