Madison 3rd best place for retirees, AARP says
Madison is one of America's healthiest hometowns for seniors, according to the nation's largest circulation magazine.
AARP The Magazine has named Madison the third healthiest city in America for older Americans, right behind Ann Arbor, Mich., and Honolulu, Hawaii.
Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and AARP Wisconsin President Al Majkrzak announced the ranking at a news conference Wednesday morning in downtown Madison.
"I have only one thing to say," said Cieslewicz. "Take that Money Magazine."
Mayor Cieslewicz was referring to Madison falling to 89th on Money's most recent list of best places to live in the United States. Madison occupied the No. 1 spot in 1996. Middleton was ranked No. 1 last year.
The mayor applauded the city's older residents and retirees for contributing to the vibrancy of Madison, specifically the downtown area.
"Our retirees are playing a big role in making Madison a great place for everyone," Cieslewicz said.
The healthiest hometown list is out today online at www.aarpmagazine.org and will appear in the magazine's September/October issue due out next week.
The environmentally conscious and exercise-oriented lifestyle in Madison is very conducive to a good, healthy life here, the AARP article said.
"Madison has worked hard to earn its reputation as a green -- and healthy -- city," the article reads.
"An extensive bus system cuts down on congestion and air pollution, and the bike trails are numerous and well-maintained.
"In warmer weather, kayaks, canoes and sailboats dot the local lakes; in winter, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and ice boating are popular."
The article, written by Sarah Mahoney and Brad Edmondson, praised the city for embracing retirement issues and gives a lot of credit to the University of Wisconsin as a major reason why people choose to retire to Madison.
"The Madison Senior Center recently received a prestigious research grant to study ways in which boomer volunteers can best work with older adults," the article said.
"The presence of the UW is a primary reason people choose to retire here," the article said. "Those 60 and older can audit many of the courses on campus for free."
The authors say Madison can take "healthy bragging rights" for low rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and the city has one of the highest per-capita rates of registered moped users.
The study used government records from hundreds of cities, looking at 20 measures of health vitality, but also the physical aspects of a community and the health and habits of the people living in a city.
"If you live near a hiking and biking trail and all of your neighbors use it, you will probably use it too," the article said. "If a farmers' market is just down the street, you are likely to eat more fruits and vegetables, and if your city has multiple hospitals, there's a good chance you will get superior health care."
Following Ann Arbor, Honolulu and Madison on
the list of healthiest cities are Sante Fe, N.M.; Fargo, N.D.;
Boulder, Colo.; Charlottesville, Va.; Minneapolis-St.Paul; San
Francisco; and Naples, Fla.
www.aarpmagazine.org
Candace and Charles McDowell relax at Memorial Union Terrace in this image from www.aarpmagazine.org.
