Re-Creating Neighborhoods for Successful Aging

The aging of the U.S. population and the rising average life span are transforming current perspectives on growing older, retirement, and senior living communities. To ensure that environments meet the changing needs of older adults, a reconception of housing, communities, and neighborhoods is required. Re-creating Neighborhoods for Successful Aging provides the foundation for confronting this pressing challenge. Drawing from the fields of gerontology, health sciences, community planning, landscape architecture, and environmental design, this groundbreaking resource provides an in-depth examination of current elder housing practices and strategies, alongside goals for the future. Housing models, such as continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), shared housing, and co-housing, are evaluated, and best practice recommendations are presented. Expert contributors also incisively explore interdisciplinary issues including the causal relationship between health and the environment challenges posed by America's automobile-dependent suburban communities elder-friendly design principles, including universal design and defensible space restorative benefits of nature and green environments assistive technology that can support older adults' independence retrofitting of naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) The book closes with an inspiring look at opportunities for future collaboration of the health sciences and the planning and design professions for the realization of supportive, life-affirming communities that will result in healthy aging, active living, and continued social participation for older adults. This compilation of research and practice is a vital tool for gerontologists, public health professionals, senior living administrators, rural and urban planners, architects, landscape architects, and policy makers.

Pauline S. Abbott, Ph.D., is the Director of the California State University Fullerton Institute of Gerontology and the Ruby Gerontology Center. Her research interests include life-long learning and strategies for teaching older adults; life review and reminiscence; caregiving issues; and spontaneous social networks examining successful strategies that older women are creating to combat loneliness in age. She has presented this work at major conferences in the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Abbott is a past president of the California Council of Gerontology and Geriatrics and in that capacity has developed and testified at a number of hearings of the California State Senate and Assembly committees on aging/long-term care. Dr. Abbott was recognized as the Shining Star of Education for 2006 by WomanSage, and by the Red Cross Association in 2003 for her work in aging.

Nancy Carman, M.A., C.M.C., is the Director of Marketing Services for New Life Management & Development, Inc., a national consulting firm that works with a variety of clients to develop, market, and manage continuing care retirement communities throughout the country. With over 25 years in the field of aging, Nancyâ??s wealth of experience includes the creation and promotion of a unique hospital-based geriatric care management program, extensive senior focus group and support group work, successful grant writing, the development of age-sensitive training programs, and consulting in the senior housing industry. She is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences addressing topics related to successful aging. A writer on important aging topics, Nancy wrote a monthly newspaper column, â??Aging Wellâ? for the Courier Post newspaper with a circulation throughout Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia for four years. For 6 years Nancy served as a board member for the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Alzheimerâ??s Association. She is a masterâ??s prepared gerontologist from the University of South Florida in Tampa and is a certified Geriatric Care Manager.

Jack Carman, F.A.S.L.A., President of Design for Generations, LLC, is a landscape architect specializing in the design and development of therapeutic gardens and landscapes for senior communities and healthcare facilities. Jack actively works to promote the design and development of therapeutic gardens through speaking engagements, audio-conferences, and contributing to the publication of technical papers. Jack is founder of the American Society of Landscape Architects Professional Practice Committee on Healthcare and Therapeutic Landscapes.

Bob Scarfo, M.L.A., Ph.D., received both a master's of science degree in geography and a doctorate degree in social geography from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He also has as a master's degree in landscape architecture from the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Scarfo is currently an associate professor of landscape architecture at the Interdisciplinary Design Institute at Washington State University-Spokane. He specializes in service learning projects that develop collaborative projects between diverse student and faculty groups and neighborhood organizations. Their focus on infill development aims to increase the potential of successful and productive aging while designing more sustainable, economically vital live, work, play, and learning environments.