If you’re thinking about relocating to a Life Plan Community, here are five top considerations: cost of living, accessibility, access to care, lifestyle, and a support system. As part of “accessibility,” walkability is increasingly more important to many aging adults.
Pedestrian-Friendly Communities
“Walkability” relates to a community’s safe, pedestrian-friendly infrastructure such as footpaths or trails, sidewalks, and other rights-of-way for those on foot. In their most recent rankings, Walk Score rated the walkability of 141 U.S. cities with a population of 200,000 or greater. According to their research, the nation’s 10 most walkable cities are:
Walk Scores by Top Cities
88 New York, NY
87 San Francisco, California
82 Boston, Massachusetts
79 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
78 Miami, Florida
77 Chicago, Illinois
76 Washington, D.C.
74 Seattle, Washington
74 Oakland, California
73 Lititz
72 Long Beach, California
There are also numerous smaller cities and towns, such as Lititz, PA that is very pedestrian-friendly with a walk score of 73! You can search the Walk Score database to check out the walkability of any community by address.
The Many Advantages of Walkability
More and more older adults want to live in a setting, like Moravian Manor Communities, that is walkable. There are a number of compelling reasons that makes our two campuses attractive options for Boomers and beyond.
Environmental benefits
Increasingly, people are becoming concerned about the impact their habits have on the Earth. The next generation of retirees will create an increased demand for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified retirement communities, which focus on energy, space, and water efficiency, as well as reducing waste and using environmentally friendly building materials.
Choosing a walkable community is another environmentally conscious choice many older adults are making when it comes to their senior living location. Since a large majority of CO2 emissions are from burning fossil fuels, fewer cars on the road means less pollution, as well as less traffic. Walking is a zero-pollution means of transportation!
Financial benefits
Walkability can be a big cost-savings for your monthly budget. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for many Americans, their vehicles are their household’s second largest expense (behind their rent/mortgage payment). For many residents living at Moravian Manor Communities, living in this walkable community has made it feasible to get rid of at least one vehicle (for two-car homes), thus eliminating a huge monthly expense.
Health benefits
Being overweight and its related health issues are among the most serious public health challenges faced by our society today. Choosing a walkable community can help fend off a sedentary lifestyle and the weight issues that often go hand-in-hand. In fact, research has found that residents of walkable communities weigh an average of 8 pounds less than people who live in less walkable areas.
Learn More about Our Walkable Community
Interested in learning more about the “walkability” of our community and all it has to offer? Contact Joyce Singer, our Residency Counselor, at 717-625-6151 or email joyces@moravianmanor.org.