Is Your Community Livable? How We Can Make It Better

According to AARP, there are roughly 45 million Americans who are 65 years and older.?By 2030, that number is expected to jump to 73 million.?The Hispanic population, although considerably younger than any other demographic group in the US, more frequently has intergenerational households.?And today, around 36% of Hispanics are over 50 years.

The same household may hold three generations, each with their own needs and interests.?For the older generations, in particular, the livability of the community has direct bearing on quality of life, the ability to retain independence, medical care and community.?

What makes a community livable??Once again, AARP has come up with a set of criteria:?Safe, walkable streets.?Age-friendly housing and transportation options.?Access to needed services. And opportunities for people of all ages to take part in community life.

For intergenerational households, the viability of a community is of the utmost importance.?Families want good schools for their children and safe parks with playgrounds. They hope their kids can ride their bikes safely to visit friends. But the same family might also need close public transportation so that the older generations can get medical care, attend cultural events, visit with their friends, go shopping.?

For Hispanic organizations involved in community development and improvement, there are a wealth of resources on the AARP website.?Not simply research, newsletters and case studies, but also panels, workshops and networks that open doors to the well-organized advocacy that AARP is actively driving across the country. For individuals, these same resources can both inform and inspire.?

To begin with, AARP’s newsletter on livable communities has so much usable information.?And two tools are also available on AARP’s site:?the Walk Audit tool allows people to assess the safety and livability of neighborhoods. And a Home Fit guide provides information and instruction on making homes age friendly.?All are in Spanish.??These links are a great beginning to actively making your homes and communities the safest, most desirable places to live.?

Among the lessons we have learned during the pandemic and lockdown is the need for well-developed services within our communities. So many hardships were faced in areas that were hard hit and did not have a strong community infrastructure that could meet the needs of its people.?But what comes out of it is a renewed interest in one’s own community, finding the gaps, making improvements that are necessary, but also ones that feed our souls, our curiosity, our love of family and life.

It is up to all of us to participate in making our neighborhoods, communities, cities and towns more reflective of who we are, what we need and want.?Speak up, get involved, find partners who share the same dreams and values you have. ?Always remember our collective impact.?Hispanics are stars that sparkle on our own, but when we pull together, we are a constellation that lights up the world.

#HispanicStar #TogetherWeShine