Suburbs Are Failing the Elderly

The iconic "car-centric suburban neighborhoods with multilevel homes and scarce sidewalks are a poor match for people who can’t climb stairs or drive a car," writes Jenni Bergal for RenewATL.

That means that for many Baby Boomers hoping to age in place, staying in their homes could mean suffering increased isolation and immobility—both of which can be damaging to mental health.

And for the many retirees underwater on their mortgages, leaving may not be an option.

The problem, which many seniors already face, highlights larger failures in infrastructure management throughout the country. And government may not be able to keep up:

State and local officials are largely unprepared to handle heightened demands for transportation, affordable housing and long-term care. One study estimated that spending on public transit would have to increase 81 percent, to $8.6 billion, by 2030 to meet the needs of seniors who want to stay in their homes.