MIXING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES IN THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT LEADS TO HEALTHIER, MORE FULFILLED, BETTER CONNECTED AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLES
In the APA research paper that he co-authored, Irv Katz, senior fellow emeritus at Generations United and former president & CEO of the National Human Services Assembly, cites major studies that both underscore the problems of today’s siloed living and makes the case for an emphasis on town planning centered on intergenerational interactions.
“The way we
have planned our communities has had disproportionate impacts on the health and
well-being of children and older adults.
They suffer
from a lack of safe spaces for independent mobility; a lack of public spaces
that address their needs; and a lack of opportunities for social
participation,” the report states.
“Anxiety and
depression are on the rise in today’s adolescents (NIHCM Foundation 2021).
Older adults are living longer, but many suffer from loneliness and social
isolation (National Academies 2020).
We have an
urgent need for a social recovery of our cities, and children and older adults
must be centered in our response.”
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