Communities for a Lifetime

Posted on Sep 07, 2017
Speaker, Jess Luce with Dakota County Communities for a Lifetime (CFL) Initiative Update. 
 
 
 
 
Jess shared that we are well aware of the changing demographics, but maybe less aware of how the changes will impact your community and what some of the potential age-friendly solutions are.
 
What are “Communities For a Lifetime?” (CFL)
Communities for all ages, Elder-friendly communities, Healthy aging communities, Vital aging communities, Livable communities, Sustainable Communities for all ages.
 
Basically…CFL are good places to grow up and grow older. With a philosophy of inclusiveness that suggests that if you plan and build for an older population, you will create a community to serve all ages.
 
The premise is that healthy, active and successful residents yield economic and social benefits for the whole community…contribute more economically and volunteer hours.  The Community for a Lifetime concept resonates with more people, other age groups, and especially Boomers, because more people benefit, not just the old.
 
Jess shared that If cities want to keep their residents (and not lose them to other nearby cities), they will have to become more “Age-Friendly”—to meet the demands of their aging residents and the preferences of Millennials…now the largest age cohort.   
 
All of us can benefit from more walkable, bikeable communities that offer more transit options, more affordable housing options, more green space/parks, and opportunities to exercise and engage with their community…
 
As people age, these characteristics of a CFL become even more essential to living a vital, active, and healthy life. Life becomes more localized as we become less mobile
Age-Friendly Policies can help create a more age-friendly community.
 
The Age-Friendly policies that a community needs are: Accessory Dwelling Unit Policy, Complete Streets Policy, Mixed-Use Land Policy, Bike Walk Policy.
 
 
For more information contact:
Jess Luce
651-554-6104