Austin scores a 56 on AARP’s Livability Index. Do you agree? How can we make our city more livable?
Ok, I might be more surprised that we can use emoji/BB code in our forum titles 
I’m not sure the difference they’re drawing btw Civic Participation and Community Support in those “8 Domains” (I’ll have to research more), but I think that FAN’s vision and membership is working toward supporting some of the changes put forth by the findings of this report:
The task force recommended that the city pursue strategies to:
- Foster independent living through home modification and repair programs, including the creation of a central dispatch for all transportation and home-based support services.
- Create more units of housing that are affordable to older adults through expedited permitting of auxiliary apartments within single family homes or adjacent to the home on the same lot (also known as accessory dwelling units).
- Focus on healthy living to prevent unnecessary hospital readmissions; better integrate aging and mental health services; and expand food availability to older adults in need.
- Integrate older adults into intergenerational programming at schools, recreation facilities, and similar locations.
Re Healthy Living:
I know that the new Dell Medical Teaching School is pitching it’s Innovation Zone as play to create new models of care outside of just tech and research. Their intention is to increase their reach into communities in a partnership with Central Health in order to increase the health indicators of the entire population of Austin. I haven’t gotten solid answers on what the metrics/measurements of those indicators will be, but I don’t think the staff (Mostly Bill Teirney) have completely fleshed out those metrics yet.
I do believe it’s an opportunity for community leaders to step up and have their voice heard in that conversation though. I think things like addressing food deserts, bike/walkability can have measurable impacts on physical health. I could possibly foster those conversations through some inroads I’m currently making if anyone has some solid ideas to thow out.
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