age-friendly communities

This briefing paper highlights the differences between rural and urban responses to the survey featured in the 2011 Maturing of America report. Because rural areas tend to have a higher proportion of older residents, higher poverty, and lower density than urban areas, they need a unique set of strategies for becoming age-friendly. The paper tracks the differences between rural and urban approaches to Transportation, Housing, Health Care, Public Safety/Emergency Services, Aging and Human Services, Exercise and Nutrition, Taxes, Income, and Workforce Development, Community & Civic Engagement, and Land Use and Strategic Planning as they relate to planning for age-friendly communities.