Relocation in Later Years

American society will soon be overwhelmed with the number of older adults over the age of sixty-five. The question is, where will they live? The answer is many will live in urban neighborhoods by choice or by default. American Society has a long history of assisting older people in the form of social security, meals for shut-ins, and medical insurance. However, Americans have fallen short in one arena that has a profound impact on the quality of day-to-day living - housing.Housing that is well-designed, suitably located, and affordable contributes to the ability of an older person to maintain his or her independence and age in place. The current housing options available in urban neighborhoods are limited and becoming a crucial factor in determining the physical, social, and emotional well-being of older adults.Relocation in Later Years: Aging-in-Place in America's Urban Neighborhoods provides strategies to retain and attract older adults to urban neighborhoods through the development of elderly-friendly neighborhoods and age-sensitive housing that allows older adults to age in place.

Dr. Michael A. Fornaro, PhD, is a housing expert and advocate for age-sensitive housing and elderly-friendly communities. Over the past fifteen years he has been involved with the programming and design of continuing-care retirement communities throughout the United States. Dr. Fornaro received an MArch from Miami University, and a Doctorate from Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio. In January of 2006, Dr. Fornaro was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Georgia Gerontological Society.