This book is a wake-up call for Baby Boomers. This generation, born between 1946 and 1964, is the first to settle in far-flung suburbs. As they age, Boomers must confront whether far-flung suburbs are suitable for their retirement years. Aging-in-place, particularly in suburbia, does not fit the conventional advise passed on to seniors. It is more complicated than modifying the home to minimize steps or curbs. The new issues are what happens when our suburban homes are oversized, too inefficient to heat and cool, and demand too much maintenance and yard work? Do big suburban homes support a high quality-of-aging, particularly when single, older women are in charge? Even more compelling, what happens if Boomers choose to age in place, but their ability to be a safe driver declines with age? Nearly 1 in 5 people beyond the age of 65 turn in the keys and no longer drive. Yet, if you settle in suburbia there are few alternatives. Seventy percent of suburban homes are beyond the reach of public transportation, and many do not have adequate sidewalks and places to walk. Aging in Suburbia is the first book to weave together the interconnectivity of home, transportation and aging. The book tackles head-on the real issues of aging that Boomers, and their adult children, have collectively chosen to push forward, and not deal with. Eventually the issue must be dealt with and there will be impacts on individual lifestyles, plus knock-on effects for real-estate markets and sales. The author, a national expert on transportation and planning, provides technology based solutions for Boomers. The last chapter of the book is a to-do list for Boomers on the brink of change. This is an important book that breaks new ground on aging in America. The Baby Boomers will be reinventing retirement, and this book is the essential guide.
