Milken Institute’s goal in developing the index for Best Cities for Successful Aging was to generate virtuous competition among cities and galvanize improvement in the social structures that serve aging Americans.
Below is a video which summarizes some of the findings of this research:
The goal of Milken Institute was to shape the future and spread successful aging across America. This research results reveal some interesting results that are listed below:
- Seniors want safety, affordability and comfort: Compiled statistics on cost of living, employment growth, jobless rates, income distribution, crime rates, alcoholism, and weather show some of the best cities in US based on this criteria.
- Senior want to be healthy and happy. The study by Milken Institute looked at a range of factors, including the number of health professionals, hospital beds, long-term hospitals, and facilities with geriatric, Alzheimer’s, dialysis, hospice, and rehabilitation services. To determine the general wellness of a community, the study included rates of obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, smoking, and mental illness and looked at the availability of recreation, wellness programs, and other healthy pursuits.
- Seniors want financial security: This study examined each area’s tax burden, small-business growth, poverty levels, and employment rates for those 65-plus, and the number of reverse mortgages.
- Seniors want living arrangements that suit our needs. The compiled statistics on the costs of home ownership and rental housing, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home health-care providers, and checked for programs that help pay for senior housing, among other data.
- Seniors want mobility and access to transportation: The study included commute times, fares, the use of and investment in transit for the public and for seniors specifically, and the number of grocery stores and other key retailers.
The study by Milken Institute included volunteerism, employment opportunities, and factors relating to encore careers, and we reviewed indicators including access to fitness and recreational facilities, training and education, senior enrichment programs, museums, cultural and religious institutions, libraries, and YMCAs, as well as the proportion of the population 65 and older.
Click here to get the copy of this study in PDF format and see if how your current city fairs in comparison to other Metro areas that were part of this study.