Though some are unaware, and others choose not to think about it, we all need to consider our longevity. That is, the reality that we are all likely to live far longer than we might have anticipated.

Although these extra years will provide many of us with greater time to live our lives as we would like, the vast majority of us will ultimately face at least some needs in areas of life- such as housing or transportation. More importantly, we need to consider and plan for what we want those extra years to be- yet many of us simply haven’t!

The Age-Friendly Sarasota survey prompts us to consider our longevity and plan for our future selves by addressing eight distinct aspects of our daily lives- the Domains of Livability:

For more information about the domains, click here.

By completing the survey, people learn more about their own needs- and also advance our collective efforts for Age-Friendly Sarasota.

Here’s what two Sarasota County residents who’ve taken the survey had to say about its benefit to others in our community:

As noted by both Francis and Louise, aging, though inherently personal, is also a societal experience as people live within local communities. And although Sarasota is a great place to retire, the sense of community, of belonging, understanding, and caring for others will propel us towards our age-friendly future.

Calling one and all- now is the time to provide your input and feedback to help create the community we will all appreciate with advancing age. Francis and Louise are simply engaged residents who want to make a difference- to their own lives and the lives of others as we age. Take a cue from both of them and see for yourself why the survey informs not only you, but also advances our efforts to make Sarasota a community for all ages! Please note the survey closes on December 15.