An Introduction to Age-Friendly Evansville

Overview: The Eight Domains of Livability

By the year 2034, the United States will have more people age 65 or older than under 18. By 2060, nearly 1 in 4 people in the U.S. will be at least 65 years old. This demographic shift presents an opportunity for communities that are prepared for the growing aging population. Age-friendly communities will make for happier, healthier residents of all ages.

The World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Cities model, established in 2010, is a global framework designed to optimize urban environments for active and healthy aging. This is implemented through a global network of towns and cities committed to continuous improvement. By actively engaging older residents to identify and remove local barriers, participating communities adapt their services, structures, and policies to promote lifelong inclusion, well-being, and independence.

The AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities supports the work of local, regional and state governments as they prepare for our nation’s changing demographics. Established in 2012, the AARP network includes towns, cities, counties and states that have made a commitment to being more livable for people of all ages, and especially older adults.

Beginning in September of 2026, AARP will partner with SWIRCA & More, the University of Southern Indiana, and Circular to begin forming the Age-Friendly Evansville initiative. AARP and the three Evansville organizations expect a multiyear collaboration with our aging population and multiple stakeholders across the region to create age-friendly physical and social environments.

Framework: The Eight Domains

The model centers on eight interconnected domains. These give our communities a common vocabulary for age-friendly work. Collectively, we will select a subset of the eight domains and combine related ones into smaller sets of working groups.

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