Nancy LeaMond defined "Livable Community" and summarized exemplary projects at the June, 2005 AARP Conference entitled, "Universal Village: Livable Communities in the 21st Century." Her presention, "Public Policy Challenges to Creating Livable Communities," closed with this memorable advice:
Posted by rollingrains at November 3, 2005 12:08 AM
Let me close by once again citing Joe Coughlin of AgeLab. He has talked about the "longevity paradox": having invested so much to get people to live longer, we've barely given any thought to how we can help them live better. Mere survival is not the goal. Aging successfully — with the ability to go where you want to go and do what you want to do — that's what it's all about.At its core, livability is about preserving those values that have always been central to the American way of life — independence, self—determination, dignity and choice. Building livable communities to accommodate an aging population is a practical goal, but it's also a moral imperative for a society committed to empowering its people and safeguarding their freedom.