Government Agency

Sarasota County developed its action plan by first creating a comprehensive study to evaluate the assets available to older adults through the lens of the eight domains of livability. As a result, the actionplan aims to enhance the built environment by making improvements in housing, outdoor spaces and transportation, while also improving the social environment through civic and social participation, and respect and social inclusion. Additionally, Sarasota has the goal of investing heavily in enhancing community information and communication, and connecting older residents with better health and caregiving opportunities.

1. Housing

   Increase the availability of alternative housing options for older adults, like co-housing and intergenerational housing.

2. Health and Community Services

   Expand affordable healthcare to older adults through a program that provides in-home caregiving.

3. Outdoor Spaces

   Expand beach access for all members of the community by building infrastructure for mobility impaired residents.

Sarasota County's age-friendly progress report shows a committment to achieving age-friendly goals through the use of technology. The county has developed and implemented broad, user-friendly applications, such as Silvernest and Nesterly--intergenerational homesharing and roommate finding apps, SeeClick Fix to enable communcation with local government about non-emergency infrastructure, MultiModalMap for quick access to Transit, Bike Lanes, and Sidewalks within a half-mile radius, and a location tracking app for their free, frequent trolley. Sarasota County also hosted the nation's first age-friendly festival in October 2017, and received an Award of Excellence, American Planning Association-Florida for Innovation in Planning for all ages for its Universal Design (UD) Resolution from the Florida chapter of the American Planning Association.