Smart growth, liveable and sustainable communities for seniors

The contents, views and editorial quality of this report are the responsibility of the authors and CMHC accepts no responsibility for them or any consequences arising from the reader’s use of the information, materials and techniques described herein. [...] From 1996 to 2001, the nation's population fell by 0.9% a year, while the population of those 65 and older grew at an annual rate of 1.8%, and the population of those 80 and older grew at an annual rate of 3.5%.1. [...] These issues include promotion of barrier- free interior residential design; the availability and affordability of home retrofitting services; and the availability of paratransit and rideshare programs to address the transportation needs of seniors who can neither drive nor use public transportation. [...] The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has modified the definition of a livable community to mean “[a community] that has affordable and appropriate housing, supportive community features and services, and adequate mobility options, which together facilitate personal independence and the engagement of residents in civic and social life.”14 SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES The terms “livable com [...] Smart growth and livable community concepts also promote the inclusion of housing and other uses in the same building or block, and allow for arrangements such as granny flats and accessory apartments.