Photo courtesy of The New York Times
When most of us think about New York City, images of the traffic, the pollution, and the crowds come to mind. The legendary hustle and bustle doesn’t necessarily scream elder friendliness. Though the city’s reputation as a haven just for the young is starting to change, as it is becoming a more accommodating place for aging adults.
In the Big Apple, pedestrians have been given more time to cross the street at over 400 intersections, which is a definite plus for seniors who aren’t necessarily that quick. Additionally, the city has employed yellow school buses to take seniors to the grocery store, making shopping a more convenient experience.
A lot of these improvements have to do with demographics, as The New York Times explains:
The city’s efforts, gaining strength as the baby boomer generation starts reaching retirement age, are born of good intentions as well as an economic strategy. “New York has become a safer city, and we have such richness of parks and culture that we’re becoming a senior retirement destination,” said Linda I. Gibbs, New York’s deputy mayor for health and human services.
The city is looking to improve quality of life factors for seniors. The New York Academy of Medicine has held over 30 town hall meetings and focus groups in order to provide steady improvements and hear what seniors think. Aging adults want easy access to public bathrooms. Additionally seniors want better street drainage because it is difficult to jump over puddle with walkers.
Making New York a more senior friendly city destination isn’t just about senior-specific accommodations: the city’s crime has been in decline and there has also been an expansion of public parks. And of course, there are still a number of established legendary cultural institutions, which should appeal to the retired.
At this moment, New York isn’t a retirement mecca like Palm Springs or Boca Raton but we applaud these small steps that are being taken in the right direction.
Creating Safer and Kinder Districts to Grow Old – ( The New York Times)
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