Healthy touches bring planned communities and businesses together

Many planned communities developments are being designed to promote easy access to businesses by adding health-conscious features. These areas place neighborhoods with wide sidewalks, bike paths and parks in close proximity to corner stores and shopping.

I recommend: A planned communities development like Arizona's Sycamore Canyon hires several builders, such as Canoa Homes, to provide home style choices to residents. Upon completion, most developments require the services of community associations such as Associa to manage repairs, snow removal, pool maintenance and other projects.

Join a retirement community developer to market your services to older adults

Retirement community developers create complete neighborhoods specially designed for older adults. Developers take into account the residents' desired lifestyles, social needs and potential health challenges as builders create a plan for each development. Retirement communities provide opportunities for exercise centers, pharmacies, physical therapists and other businesses that cater to older adults.

I recommend: Touchmark, a development and construction company, creates planned community developments for older adults. Touchmark builds resort-style facilities, provides health and fitness clubs, and offers home care and home health services in each development. Pringle Development builds similar award-winning, retirement communities in Florida.

Find planners for your master planned community developments through professional associations

Master planned community developments can be distinguished from unplanned neighborhoods by their large size and the variety of things to do. Find skilled engineers or architects to design the neighborhoods, homes, businesses and parks in your development through local chapters of industry-specific professional associations.

I recommend: Discover quality planners such as Rettew Associates, or use the Architect Finder tool offered by the American Institute of Architects to find architects.