Reader TTS

A TRAIL FOR ALL The Legacy Trail is a paved, roughly 10-mile-long path that connects communities across the county and is used for walking, jogging and biking. Rest stations are found every

mile or so. The Legacy Trail (top) is a popular, tree-shaded destination for bicyclists and pedestrians. The multipassenger, pedal-powered surrey (above) is a popular option for enjoying the

trail. Photos courtesy Age-Friendly Sarasota A popular feature is the surrey, a four-wheeled canopy-covered bicycle that's driven by volunteers who pedal passengers along the trail for

a 45-minute ride. The Friends of the Legacy Trail website describes the vehicle as “ideally suited for mobility challenged individuals, provided they can climb one step onto the surrey.”

Adds Berger: “You just feel like you're in old world Florida. The voters and Board of County Commissioners have agreed to extend it another eight miles. The trail is useful for

promoting health and well-being and is just a great form of fun mobility and staying active.” LOUD AND CLEAR Sarasota County has taken great strides in making its website more accessible.

“It was redesigned so it’s better for aging eyes,” says Black. Personalized viewing options include increased text size and color contrast and easier keyboard navigation. (Visit _scgov.net_

and click on the wheelchair symbol in the top right.) Sarasota’s 10 public libraries all have assistive technology equipment, including a portable magnification device to use on newspapers

or books, a device that turns text into speech in multiple languages, a low-vision computer station containing magnification software, and braille displays that work with the low-vision

computers so patrons can type and read in braille. Many meeting rooms are equipped with hearing loops to assist individuals who have hearing impairment. In addition to its age-friendly

equipment, in 2019 the libraries offered 2,250 adult programs attended by more than 43,000 residents. AGING THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS Similar to the AARP Disrupt Aging campaign, Sarasota

County’s annual Reinvention Convention gathering was created to shed light on the stereotyping of older adults. Launched in 2017, the event is a series of discussions designed to

"encourage thought leadership, change minds, and instigate action by providing a platform for discourse on compelling age-related issues."  “I’m a big advocate for older adults and

combatting ageism," says Erin McLeod, president/CEO of Senior Friendship Centers, which helps host the convention. "Ageism is pervasive in our society, from greeting cards, people

using the term ‘senior moment,’ the evil villains in kids’ movies who are often depicted as old crones. We have an entire industry devoted to anti-aging because people don't view aging

as something that is respected and revered.” Black agrees: “We know ageism is a serious scourge throughout the world. It’s one of the _isms_ that still exist. When we did our focus groups

and I asked about ageism, nobody said anything. But when we talked about transportation, we heard lots of stereotypes and prejudice about older drivers." (Because driving skills often

do diminish as drivers age, the Sarasota action plan calls for the creation of more transportation options for older residents.) "Age-friendly communities are countering ageism by

changing the conversation about aging," says Black. "The conversation shifts when we address age-friendly as livability for people at all ages and abilities. We are really talking 

about living fully, and having full access and participation in community life, which gets people to think more positively. They're excited about it and want to do what they need to do

to make their lives and their community better. That’s what’s inspirational to me.” LESSONS LEARNED (AND ADVICE FOR OTHERS) BRANDING TAKES TIME “We’ve been an older community for some time.

But branding ourselves as an age-friendly community takes time,” says Kathy Black. “We’re working to educate and show government officials, policymakers and every sector throughout the

county that everybody benefits when you design for all ages and all abilities.”  PLANNING NOW FOR LATER “It's hard to get people thinking about more than just the here and now,” says

Susan Berger. "People believe aging happens to someone else and don’t think about themselves as aging. In turn, there is very little thought about planning for the future and until

there is a medical issue they don’t understand.” TAKE STOCK OF WHAT YOU HAVE “I would advise every community to look around and understand what systems exist, and build on what they have,”

says Chuck Henry. “One lesson I share all the time with communities is that building an age-friendly community is not a project you complete. Rather, it's a journey you undertake with

your community, and there really is no end in sight, because you're constantly changing the goalposts as you write a new action plan and move on. So figure out a way to make it a part

of your everyday work.” PUBLIC HEALTH AND AGING “I tell them to find and partner with whomever is working on age-friendly projects because they're doing the same things we're

trying to do. Our assessment has a pure public health focus and age-friendly’s has more of a broader community focus — with a lot of health intertwined," says Chuck Henry. "While

only one of the 8 Domains of Livability specifically mentions health, health is a key factor in _all _the domains. “It’s a huge benefit to have the age-friendly network to collaborate with.

Because of those connections — and age-friendly’s vast information sources — the level of awareness in Florida about public health as seen through an aging lens has grown tremendously."

RELATED LINKS Find more Age-Friendly Member Impact and Achievement Profiles   _Reporting by Amy Lennard Goehner_