Expectations of civic infrastructure in an age-restricted retirement community: Implications for community development.

摘要

This study explores expectations of an age-restricted retirement community with regard to civic life. information about the civic infrastructure expectations of retired persons and insights into the formulation of those expectations are provided. Civic infrastructure is defined as elements of community life that assist in the creation of relationships and a shared set of values. Expectations of civic infrastructure are defined as needs, desires, and hopes that individuals hold about the civic character of their community. Expectations are measured by determining the desire for additional opportunities, and the importance of organizations to establish relationships. The study is based on, and extends, the academic literature within the disciplines of sociology, planning, political science, and gerontology. The study draws from and contributes to research on civic society, social capital, and civil discourse. The theoretical framework for this research is grounded in the context of person-enviromnent relations. Five hypotheses we proposed in an effort to understand the possible correlation between sociodemographic factors and expectations of civic infrastructure. Hypotheses consider relationships between expectations of civic infrastructure. and age, income, education, region of origin, and health. Survey instruments containing 50 questions were mailed to 1,600 randomly selected households within Sun City Vistoso, a retirement village in the town of Oro Valley, Arizona. A 46% response rate was achieved. Frequency tables are provided for all questions. Cross-tabulation analyses are presented for each hypothesis, with chi-square and p-value calculations to determine relationships. Findings related to civic behavior indicate a high level of engagement in the various components of civic infrastructure. Engagement in the social and governance components of civic infrastructure was focused within the retirement community; associations with the service component were demonstrated within the larger community. Of the sociodemographic factors, education was the most significant predictor of civic behavior and expectations. Good health was associated with civic engagement, but declining health did not increase expectations of civic infrastructure. The study proposes an additional component to M. P. Lawton's model of person-environment relations, the civic environment. It also suggests a revised transactional model, based on Lawton and Nahemow's work, providing a framework for community adaptation to environmental change.