| Designing Places and Spaces for Now and in the Future: Developing a Livable St. Louis Region for All |
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This report, the eighth in a series of Aging in Place Initiative workshop reports, documents the meeting that was held in St. Louis on the topic of Universal Design & Accessibility. The St. Louis workshop was focused on a design dilemma that most American communities face: Many of their current places and spaces hamper access for all but the able-bodied. Most communities are not ready for the “age wave”—for the increasing numbers of their residents who will be dealing with physical or cognitive constraints—but who want to stay in their homes and communities. Design of places and spaces can include a myriad of decisions, from allowable uses of space, the selection of an architect for an important new building, the path of new roads, placement of housing of various types—a comprehensive list would include thousands of design choices. This report . Download the report> (7.68 MB) The pressure to design more livable, accessible communities is one that the greater St. Louis region shares with the rest of the nation. The aging population is rapidly increasing everywhere and the trend will accelerate as baby boomers age. The sheer numbers can overwhelm communities if preparations are not made now to improve design and reduce barriers to accessibility. To be able to age in place, older adults need to live in communities willing to rethink the way their older residents will want to manage aging. Seniors, and especially boomers, will live longer, on average, than their own parents. They will want to be able take care of their health needs in their own homes and communities. They will expect to stay as active as their health permits. And they will resent the impediments caused by thoughtless design of places and spaces—and the resulting lack of access to activities they favor and to resources they need to remain independent. Fortunately, the changes in design that accommodate aging can benefit the entire community. In a livable community, design practices result in easy access to all that a community offers,for the young and the old, for the completely able-bodied and for those in wheelchairs or using walkers. People with disabilities have a great deal of experience with design that, often inadvertently, creates obstacles to their ability to move around houses, sidewalks, streets, stores, offices, churches, schools, medical facilities and many other community amenities. The hardwon battle waged by advocates for the disabled for increased accessibility has paved the way for those who are aging. However, much more has to be done. Though the workshop speakers and panelists represented different professions with diverse areas of expertise, they articulated a shared recognition—that the burgeoning aging population in the region will face similar problems, many not yet resolved, that those with long-standing disabilities confront. For the three Area Agencies on Aging that planned the workshop, this was a very important message to convey to the audience. The region’s communities must become more user-friendly for the greatly increasing numbers of aging residents. The St. Louis workshop was crafted to explore the obstacles to access for all and the possible solutions. The workshop set the stage for the Area Agencies on Aging and other advocates in the St. Louis area to collaborate with the many stakeholders who can make the region hospitable and livable for all, no matter their age or abilities. This report covers the issues, problems and strategies for improving design for accessibility in the greater St. Louis region and includes relevant national perspectives as well. Communities around the country are all facing a growing aging population, and must tackle many of the same design problems. To provide context for the workshop discussions, the following “Backgrounder” provides demographic and other information about the greater St. Louis region. The section that begins on page 5, “You Can’t Have One Without the Other: To Be Livable, A Community Must Be Accessible for All”, introduces the important considerations for designing places and spaces that are usable by all. The sections that follow describe the experiences of those who have supported inclusive design in the St. Louis area. The many national influences on the accessibility of communities are also examined. The section, “Aging Friendly Innovations:Best Practices” describes programs that are recognized as exemplary for their role in supporting accessibility and aging in place. |