FOA Lead Agency for Livable Communities Project

Fort Collins, CO -  The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) has selected six communities from around the U.S. to participate in a MetLife Foundation-funded Livable Communities Collaborative. The six communities selected to participate are: Santa Fe, WA; Larimer County, CO; Miami Gardens, FL; Monroe County (Rochester area), NY; Sedgwick County (Wichita), KS; and York, PA. According to n4a, a ‘Livable Community’ for all ages is one that has:

• affordable and appropriate housing
• adequate transportation and mobility options
• accessible health and human services
• workforce, volunteer and community engagement opportunities that enable citizens to thrive

By the year 2030, more than 70 million Americans – twice the 2000 number – will be 65 and older, and AARP reports that nearly 90 percent of older adults wish to age-in-place, or remain in their existing homes or communities as they age.

Locally, the Livable Communities Collaborative is led by the Foundation on Aging for Larimer County and the Larimer County Office on Aging, in collaboration with 12 other  community organizations.  In the next year, the organizing committee will be conducting workshops, developing volunteer teams and planning a community-wide event to help advance the initiative.  The end result will be to create an environment that supports and promotes age-friendly communities throughout Larimer County.

Livable Community amenities, says n4a, help to maximize individual personal independence and quality of life while adding to the economic, civic and social vitality of the community at large. N4a launched this innovative collaboration to help make communities great places to grow up and grow old