The Traverse Livable Communities Survey is the community evaluation tool that brings a person-centered approach to the Traverse City: Aging in Community Initiative.

Traverse City already brings some notable livability assets and environmental features to the project along with a high degree of community-wide collaboration. This online survey is based on the national AARP Livable Communities Model and has been tailored to reflect the community needs of Traverse City.

Traverse City: Aging in Community Initiative is in the position of learning more about how increased livability features may impact a high senior and boomer growth areas around the state and nation. The development of the Traverse Livable Community (TLC) Survey is a meaningful part of our overall project goals. This online survey tool is designed to help other communities to replicate our project by assisting them in their community livability efforts.

But why now? And, why Traverse City?

Fast Forward: A Demographic Perspective
According to the 2005 Chamber of Commerce Economic Forecast, growth of the 50 years of age, or better, population is exploding in our region at a rate three times faster than the rest of the state, and twice as fast as the rest of the nation. Consequently, our region is experiencing today what other communities will experience in the future, as the boomer and senior populations continue to increase over the next five to ten years.

This accelerated growth rate heightens the challenges and increases the need for affordable housing, medical care, transportation, and supportive services, and senior sensitive businesses that define livability for older adults and their families. Understanding the economic impact of these age-related demographics, at the community level, is key to getting beyond the commonly held misperception that meeting the future needs of boomers and their aging parents represents an economic burden and social drain.

On the contrary, older adults contribute to our community through a broad range of civic and social engagement activities, including volunteerism, mentoring, consultants, angel investors, support of the arts, and philanthropy; not to mention the enormous amount of civility, selflessness, and patriotism this generation so freely gives.

A tipping point occurs as our community perception moves from drain to gain and business is beginning to realize that serving this vital, vibrant market represents a powerful economic industry for our region and our state. Attracting and retaining the mature market will be crucial to shaping community growth because of the level of economic stabilization it brings to our area.

Because of this, Traverse City is currently in a unique position to provide leadership and innovation to age-related community and economic development issues in Michigan.

Three Keys: A Community Perspective
There are three identifiable characteristics that make Traverse City a model of collaboration and community partnership. They are hallmarks of our community and create an environment that has greatly accelerated the Traverse City: Aging in Community Initiative. We define these three core characteristics as a pioneer spirit, the value of legacy, and a heart for service.

A Pioneer Spirit

The Grand Traverse Region was settled by early pioneers carving out a life for themselves and their families in the northern wilderness. They were courageous, independent, self-sustaining and self-reliant individuals. The communities they built were strengthened by the closeness that came from their relative geographical isolation. They learned to work things out among themselves and to overcome problems and circumstances together, as a community, in an atmosphere of trust and respect.

While many of us may not have been born here, it was this same ‘pioneer spirit’ that first drew us to Traverse City. This spirit kindles the high degree of collaboration and innovation, in all of us, that fosters and supports progress and change. The strength of character we see in our elders, we work to preserve for ourselves; by securing their independence and self-sustainability within our community, we guarantee and affirm our own.

The Value of Legacy

Local history plays a part in our daily lives. Preserving Traverse City’s history, legends, and lore is an important facet of our community. It ties the generations together and weaves our lives into the fabric of what we call community; so closely, in fact, that we often can not re-tell the stories of our lives without including the setting or season.

Legacy is at the heart of Traverse City’s strong commitment to preserving our natural resources, protecting our environment, and building our community. This level of community commitment draws diverse individuals and organizations together to work toward the greater good.

Legacy is also about commitment to a healthy, vibrant community where people can experience a quality of life that seeks to meet the present interests of our community while also considering our future needs. By choosing to embrace livability we complete the generational circle and improve the community for all; the same curb cut that helps an older adult with a walker, helps the mother with a stroller, the child with a bike, and the person with a disability.

Heart for Service

Traverse City is a highly engaged community that values volunteer and community service; often beginning at an early age. Opportunities for intergenerational volunteer experiences for individuals and families abound in our community. Traverse City also welcomes the contributions of newcomers, embraces a wide-range of perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs, and is willing to look into the 'blind spots' of our community to seek to serve the greater good

This widespread desire for community connectivity and doing good is truly ‘good news’ for Traverse City’s rapidly growing boomer and senior population. Not only will our community benefit from this extraordinary human resource as we move to fill gaps and needs in our senior care continuum, but we will also have the benefits of talent and time as retirement dawns. Identifying and empowering this potential is a social imperative if we are going to put their time, talents and experience to good use in our community.

These unique characteristics are essential elements of this project and part of our recommendations to other communities, large or small, choosing to embrace the concept of livability for all ages.