1. The Livability Index: Great Neighborhoods for All Ages
Rodney Harrell, PhD
Director, Livable Communities
AARP Public Policy Institute
@AARPpolicy
@DrUrbanPolicy

2. What is a Livable Community?
“A livable community is one that is safe and secure, has affordable and appropriate housing and transportation options, and offers supportive community features and services. Once in place, those resources enhance personal independence; allow residents to age in place; and foster residents’ engagement in the community’s civic, economic, and social life.” —AARP Public Policy Institute
This is AARP’s definition of a livable community.
In a livable community, people of all ages can….take a walk; safely cross the street; ride a bike; use public transportation; live comfortably; work or volunteer; enjoy public places; socialize; spend time outdoors; be entertained; go shopping; buy healthy food; easily get to quality medical care; find the services they need; and make their city, town, or neighborhood a lifelong home.
The Livability Index will help to show how well a community is prepared for an aging population; help to educate policy makers about how to improve the community; and help individuals answer the question: “Is this a good place to live?”
AARP’s definition describes communities that support the needs of all residents regardless of:
age, physical ability, income, cultural background, race, or other factors.
We encourage communities to reach an aspirational goal to become as “livable” as they can
Challenge:
To create livable communities where people already live
When planning and designing new communities.

3. How Do People Choose Neighborhoods
Preferences
Limitations
Family Budget
Availability
Where People Live

4. What Is The Livability Index: Great Neighborhoods for All Ages?
The Livability Index is a groundbreaking initiative of the AARP Public Policy Institute.
It’s a web-based tool that enables individuals and policymakers to evaluate their communities based on a broad set of indicators. The tool scores communities for the services and amenities that affect peoples’ lives the most. For instance:
Quality healthcare and excellent transportation options to get people there whether or not they drive
Homes that are accessible and affordable for families of varying means
You’ll note that the tagline for the Livability Index is: Great Neighborhoods for All Ages.”
One of the unique contributions of this Index is that the user can see the livability score for any neighborhood in the United States. To my knowledge—no one has before attempted to do an Index of this magnitude. There are other great tools out there—such as WalkScore that give you nationwide neighborhood scores, but limited to walking and transit data. There are other local tools such as the Minneapolis Health Communities Assessment Tool, which includes a breadth of indicators for all neighborhoods in Minneapolis. Our tool offers both breadth and neighborhood scale data.
The AARP Livability Index was designed for local policy makers and other community leaders to better understand their community’s relative strengths and weaknesses for meeting the needs of both older adults in the community AND their families. It’s an Index for all ages b/c when we plan for older adults, we plan for everyone.
It serves all age groups, with a special focus on measuring how well communities are accommodating residents as they age. That’s because older adults have diverse wants and needs that are frequently unacknowledged or underserved.
The Livability Index shows what communities look like today and provides resources to help them improve over time.

5. The Livability Index: 4435 Main Street – Neighborworks KC

6. The Livability Index: KC, MO

7. The Livability Index: Housing

8. The Livability Index: Transportation

9. Home and Community Based Services
People want to remain in their homes and communities as they age
HCBS allows people to stay where they are and delay institutional care
Benefits individuals, families, and communities because institutional care costs 3 times a much as providing HCBS care
Ties to community livability: people get to age in place, people remain engaged in community, supports caregivers (ex: FMLA expansion, transportation)

10. Home and Community Based Services
Examples of HCBS
Aging and Disability Resource
Centers
Congregate and home-delivered meals
Family caregiver supports
Transportation
Case management
Long-Term Care Ombudsmen
Adult Protective Services
Senior centers
Some of these are medicaid and non medicaid funded

11. For More Information AARP Public Policy Institute
AARP Livable Communities Resources