City Governments and Aging in Place: Community Design, Transportation and Housing Innovation Adoption

Abstract

Purpose of the study:

To examine the characteristics associated with city government adoption of community design, housing, and transportation innovations that could benefit older adults.

Design and methods:

A mixed-methods study with quantitative data collected via online surveys from 62 city planners combined with qualitative data collected via telephone interviews with a subsample of 18 survey respondents.

Results:

Results indicate that advocacy is an effective strategy to encourage city government adoption of these innovations. Percent of the population with a disability was positively associated, whereas percent of the population aged 65 and older was not associated or negatively associated, with innovation adoption in the regression models. Qualitative interviews suggest that younger individuals with disabilities are more active in local advocacy efforts.

Implications:

Results suggest that successful advocacy strategies for local government adoption include facilitating the involvement of older residents, targeting key decision makers within government, emphasizing the financial benefits to the city, and focusing on cities whose aging residents are vulnerable to disease and disability.