Aging

View from back of two elderly people sitting on park bench

How Neighborhoods Impact Older Adults’ Resiliency to Climate Change

New research seeks to learn how homes, neighborhoods, and communities affect how older residents are affected by climate change.

December 7, 2022 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

Side view of older woman sitting on gray sofa gazing pensively out of wall-sized window.

Aging and the Housing Market

When wanting to downsize their living situation, some older Americans are startled to find a dearth of smaller housing units in their neighborhoods.

November 29, 2022 - The New York Times

Woman sitting on bench at rural bus stop

Transportation Challenges for Older Rural Americans

Vast distances and inadequate funding pose problems for the rural transportation services that older adults rely on to access essential services.

June 2, 2022 - NBC News

Pace Flag

Affordable Housing for LGBTQ Seniors

LGBTQ elders are more likely than their age-peers to have experienced discrimination, leaving them more likely to be poor and have chronic health problems. LGBTQ-friendly senior housing aims to provide a safe and supportive place to age.

January 12, 2021 - Shelterforce Magazine

Senior Woman Washing Vegetables

Age-Friendly Columbus Offers Solutions for Aging Cities

Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County, a program of The Ohio State University College of Social Work, celebrated five years of community engagement and advocacy aimed at improving quality of life for older adults.

December 16, 2020 - NextCity

'An Adult Day Care on Every Corner:' Aging in the Rio Grande Valley

In a region where most people “age in place,” facilities offering services and socialization give primary caregivers a much-needed break.

January 15, 2018 - The Texas Observer

What Planners Need to Know About Aging for Comprehensive Plans

Julia Wolfe, planning specialist for the Ramsey County Public Health, lays out some suggestions to plan for aging population.

December 22, 2017 - PlanIt - Metropolitan Council

Senior Mobility

An Aging USA Needs Safe Streets Now More Than Ever

Bigger cars and an older population means a growing number of Americans die while crossing the street, and the country is just getting older.

September 1, 2017 - Mother Nature Network

Downtown Detroit

Detroit's Future

By 2040, Detroit will be bigger, more urban, older, and whiter predicts a report from the New Urban Institute that looks at trends, challenges, and assets of the Michigan city.

August 4, 2017 - CityLab

Senior Pedestrians

The Other Side of Anxiety? Realism. And Maybe Hope.

Ben Brown tells us to stop narrowly defining problems.

June 14, 2017 - PlaceShakers

Elderly Walking

What Makes a Community 'Dementia-Friendly?'

With a high number of elderly residents, the London suburb of Purley has taken steps to become "dementia-friendly." There's no single definition of what that means, but community awareness and education are a focus.

February 8, 2017 - The Guardian

Wheelchair accessible home

Growing Old at Home

Changing demographics and preferences in eldercare have millions planning to age in place, this will have big implications for our communities and our policy makers.

January 6, 2017 - CityLab

Elderly Walking

Improving Cities for Older Residents

Demographic change means older city dwellers. Entrepreneurs and developers are searching for better ways to serve this community.

January 4, 2017 - The Guardian

The Unkickable Can: Toward a 'Livability Synthesis'

Ben Brown points out the potential political upside to the aging population.

September 28, 2015 - PlaceShakers

Deaths Outnumber Births in Rural Virginia Counties

A decade ago many of Virginia's rural counties were among the fastest growing in the country, but in most of Virginia's counties deaths now outnumber births, and county populations are consequently growing more slowly or declining.

July 17, 2015 - University of Virginia Center for Public Service

The Counties With the Fastest Growing Population of Older Americans

The country as a whole is getting older—though some counties are aging faster than others.

July 14, 2015 - Pew Research Center

Older People

Redefining Public Spaces for Older People

The elderly population in cities is growing, and research points to the health benefits of an active, connected lifestyle. So why are cities still so inhospitable to aging?

March 18, 2015 - The Guardian

Housing America's Older Population—New Report Details the Challenge

A new study from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University and the AARP Foundation has produced a pile of data on the country's aging population and its implications for housing and planning policy.

September 3, 2014 - Harvard University Gazette

Imminent Doom as Grand Strategy

What do three-pack-a-day smoking habits, triple-decker cheese burgers and sprawl have in common? They all offer immediate gratification and deferred consequences. But now the bill's coming due. Ben Brown lays out some ways to face the music.

January 17, 2013 - PlaceShakers

The Aging and Younging of America

A new report from the Brookings Institution tracks where populations are aging in America, and which parts are experiencing booms in young populations.

July 1, 2011 - Brookings Institute

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

HUD’s 2023 Innovative Housing Showcase

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.