Month, Date, 2016
Dear Editor:
The United States is in the midst of a significant demographic shift. Over the next 15 years the nation's population will age quickly and dramatically.
Today, nearly 46 million people are age 65 and older. By 2030, that number will rise to 73 million and fully one out of every five people in the U.S. will be at least 65-years-old. While the country is aging in the aggregate, almost every state and community is growing older as well.
Although some people will leave their communities as they age — to live closer to family, to live in a place with more amenities, or for a more favorable climate — the vast majority of people plan to stay where they are and "age in place."
Mayors nationwide are seeing this demographic shift and are taking action to make their towns and cities more livable for people of all ages. Consider EXAMPLE from Mayor NAMEHERE, TOWN/CITY NAMEHERE. Or SECOND EXAMPLE, from Mayor NAMEHERE, TOWN/CITY NAMEHERE.
These are only a few of many creative, inspiring ideas included in Where We Live: Communities for All Ages, a free e-book now available at AARP.org/WhereWeLive. The book is part of AARP's larger effort to highlight promising examples from across the country and to help inspire even more action from community leaders.
AARP / AARP STATE OFFICE wants to ignite deeper discussions about making communities and towns livable for people of all ages. I invite your readers to email us at to tell us what that their community is working on or else share their ideas about would make their community more livable.
Community leaders and residents can learn more about livability topics by visiting the AARP Livable Communities website at AARP.org/livable and by subscribing to the award-winning AARP Livable Communities e-Newsletter via AARP.org/livable-subscribe.
Sincerely,
Nancy LeaMond
AARP Executive Vice President of Community, State and National Affairs
or
NAME HERE, State Director, AARP STATENAMEHERE