Seniors in the West Lafayette area are increasingly identifying themselves as active retirees, and although Indiana did not place any communities on a recent list of the Top 25 Best Cities for an Active Retirement, stories of local seniors addressing retirement issues are popping up in the local media, and prompting consideration of how well the area stacks up in terms of catering to this growing segment of the population.
While it seems questionable that West Lafayette lacks the amenities of, say, Fargo, ND, which came in at #18 on the Forbes Top-25 list, the real question is: What do seniors look for from their community to enable a healthy, active retirement?
Though desired community features don't change dramatically depending on how old one is, it makes sense that seniors may put a higher priority on access to convenient, high-quality health-care than they might put on the student-to-teacher ratios at the local schools.
Additionally, plentiful walking paths and trails, a robust volunteer population, and low crime rates appear to be aspects of a town that make it pleasant for active retirees. Forbes cited all of these considerations in its rankings, and West Lafayette measures up well in these categories.
West Lafayette is above the national average in the ratio of physicians to general population, and the city has a dozen board-certified geriatric specialists.
There are more than 450 acres of recreational areas, trails and playgrounds associated with the 13 park properties of the West Lafayette community. The city's 2010 Strategic Plan cited parks and trails as one of the top amenities of the area, and pointed to "an extensive trail network that includes five paved trails and four footpaths covering 17.5 miles," as an asset the town will maintain a commitment to nurture and improve.
The city's website lists numerous volunteer opportunities, and the United Way operates a volunteer center to coordinate interests and activities in this area. With regard to safety, West Lafayette's Police Department saw a 9% decrease in criminal arrests from 2009 to 2010.
In addition to the local features listed above, West Lafayette has numerous retirement communities catering to the needs of active seniors. Provision Living's West Lafayette community, GreenTree, is located near Purdue University, and offers residents access to such activities as musicals, dinner theater events and other shows.
The baby boomer population is beginning to hit retirement age, and it is likely the generation known for redefining many areas of American life will also be a study in contrasts when it comes to the golden years. As communities strive to keep up with the needs of their retirees, West Lafayette appears to offer a healthy foundation for active seniors to build their retirement futures on.
What Do You Think?
Do you have an opinion on the quality of life for active retirees in the West Lafayette community? If so, please share your thoughts in our comments section.
(Image Courtesy of John Schanlaub on Flickr)
