NEWS

Access to Amenities Impacts Social Isolation and Sense of Community

May 22, 2019

Americans who live in closer proximity to community parks, libraries, restaurants, and theaters are more content with their neighborhood, more trusting of others, and less lonely regardless of whether they live in large cities, suburbs, or small cities or towns.

This according to a report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) based on their Survey on Community and Society.

It’s findings boil down to a concept promoted by the Age-Friendly movement, which is that, when all else is equal, people prefer a sense of community in the built environment. In other words, amenity access predicts feelings of community satisfaction, social trust, and social isolation.

This report can help inform the work of Age-Friendly community stakeholders, whether it’s the construction of surveys and listening sessions or simply making the case for a city or town to join the movement.

More information on the AEI reports findings, including a link to the full report, is available on the organization’s publications webpage along with the video below: