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When Niki Delson and other older Carbondale residents formed a group focused on improving their small town, one of the first goals was to ensure residents could safely get from one place to the next.
Some sidewalks were narrow or nonexistent. Others lacked adequate lighting or at times were blocked, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street. Drivers often ignored stop signs and pedestrian pathways.
“The traffic is really bad now, and it’s going to only get worse because the development has increased astronomically here,” says Delson, 82, who is cofounder and chair of the board of directors for the nonprofit Age-Friendly Carbondale.
The board members, who are volunteers age 65 to 89, knew they would need help and successfully advocated in 2019 for the town to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. The network helps residents and local leaders assess community needs and develop plans to improve housing, transportation, public spaces, social engagement and other areas that affect quality of life for residents of all ages.
In Carbondale, signs of progress can already be seen.
Many dangerous sidewalks have been replaced, and curb extensions have been installed to slow traffic. Age-Friendly Carbondale also worked with the Colorado Department of Transportation to install an audible crossing signal at an intersection frequently used by a resident who is blind.
It has also orchestrated the installation of benches around the city, including near two senior living facilities, to provide rest stops for walkers. And the nonprofit is focused on advocating for improvements to Highway 133, which cuts through town, to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
“It’s a testimony to how local work is so powerful when we get them the right tools at the right time and let them take the ball and run,” says Marissa Volpe, AARP Colorado’s associate state director for livable and diverse communities.
SUPPORTING OLDER RESIDENTS
Nationwide, AARP’s age-friendly network has roughly 1,000 members, which receive access to experts, technical support and information on best practices.
The newest Colorado members—Sedgwick County and Thornton, both of which joined this year—are in the process of evaluating community needs and setting goals.
Sedgwick County, in the eastern, topmost corner of the state, hopes to lay the groundwork for more intergenerational programs, as well as improve exercise options for older residents and more sports and other activities for children, says Linda Langelo, a Colorado State University horticulture specialist.
About 31 percent of the county’s roughly 2,260 residents are 65 or older, compared with 16 percent of residents statewide being in that age group, U.S. Census Bureau data shows.
In Thornton, transportation and housing are top concerns, says Jessie Romito, the city’s active adult program manager. It hopes to work with neighboring communities to build the infrastructure necessary to enable people to age in place, Romito notes.
Being a part of AARP’s network “will really help us continue to understand the local climate, local legislation and what other communities are doing,” she says. “How can we be better partners in creating inclusive spaces and taking care of our older adults?”
The AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities is a part of AARP’s national Livable Communities initiative. To learn more about the network, the resources it offers and its members, go to aarp.org/agefriendly. ■
Cynthia Pasquale is a freelance writer and former editor at The Denver Post. She has written for the Bulletin since 2011.
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