About the Survey

The Survey of “Aging-Friendly” Community Characteristics is a brief survey that focuses on several areas of community living that affect the quality of life of all residents of a community, including those of us who are older. The survey was created by compiling a comprehensive list of traits deemed supportive of the needs of older persons and their families from a variety of sources (e.g., National Association of Area Agencies on Aging & the MetLife Foundation, 2007), as described in a 2013 article summarizing some preliminary findings (Barber). This search yielded more than 130 community characteristics, which were reduced to 89 items and organized around 13 subject areas (described in the Characteristics section).The assessment can be used in numerous ways to help our communities improve their livability and support and build momentum on the experience and wisdom we gain as we age.

You can view the hard-copy assessment here; or access the online version here.

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