HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-12-07-COA-min.ppt
Age-Friendly Communities
Lexington Council on Aging Board Meeting
December 6, 2016
Charlotte Rodgers, Human Services Director
Kelly Axtell, Assistant Director Senior Services
HemaliPatel, Senior Services Coordinator
8 Domains of Age-Friendly
Community
What is Lexington Already Doing?
What are unmet needs?
Public transit options
Accessibility
Reducing isolation
Social inclusion
Health and Wellness programs
Housing
Steps to Initiating the Effort
1.
Obtain political commitment of the community’s
elected officials
Written pledge to commit to a continual cycle of
improvement
Complete membership application
Send to AARP state office
AARP advises the WHO’s Global Network of Age-
Friendly Cities and Communities
Steps to Initiating the Effort
2. Organize stakeholders
Successful initiative based on broad
collaboration of stakeholders and of course
age 60+ residents
Examples of successful engagements:
Other MA communities… Boston, Salem,
Yarmouth, Brookline, New Bedford,
Dartmouth, Berkshire County
Steps to Initiating the Effort
3. Conduct assessments to identify needs
Use or adapt the AARP survey to help assess
available resources and what residents view as
important for successfully aging in place.
Consider partnership with UMASS Boston to
develop and implement needs assessment
Steps to Initiating the Effort
4. Establish an advisory committee that includes
older adults
Support healthy aging, which leads to
improved health, well-being, satisfaction and
quality of life for older Americans.
Sets policies, services, and structures that
support and enable people remain active as
they age.
Network of Age-Friendly Communities
Program Cycle
Discussion
Because active aging is a life-long
process, an age-friendly community is
not just “elder-friendly” –it is friendly
for people of all ages.