An aging United States population, combined with traditional American values of independence and individualism, is fostering increased interest in community efforts to promote aging in place. This article describes the types of community aging-friendly initiatives that currently exist in the United States, and the roles that various sectors (e.g., public, non-profit, private) have played in their development. Findings from a national internet-based survey identified 292 current aging-friendly community initiatives, of four types: community planning, system coordination and program development, co-location of services, and consumer associations. Most represent local community interventions, developed in the absence of federal funding or guidance and often hampered by limited political authority or economic resources. Private sector solutions, such as mutual-benefit associations, appear to be on the rise; however, such initiatives are not widely accessible, especially to those individuals with insufficient resources or political power to participate in the private market. Taken together, these findings raise questions regarding the sustainability of current efforts, their availability to less-resourced individuals and communities, and the long-term ability of communities in the United States to make the infrastructure changes required to meet the needs of an aging society without an increased government role. // (2012)
