SENIOR CARE
The Age Friendly Network Making communities livable for seniors BY WILL PHILLIPS
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To date, more than 500 towns, cities and counties and 6 states have enrolled in the Network – going through a rigorous five-year cycle of continuous improvement that hinges on a robust assessment of community needs. That assessment is a critical first step in the process that drives the development of a comprehensive community action plan. Enrollment in the Network is not a certificate of achievement or a gold star program, but rather a commitment to become more age-friendly by focusing on and taking action to address the needs of older adults.
The Network provides cities, towns, counties and states with the resources to become more age-friendly by tapping into national and global research, planning models and best practices. Membership in the Network means that a community’s elected leadership has made a commitment to actively work with residents and local advocates to make their community an age-friendly place to live.
Members of the Network work to make improvements in their community to all or some combination of eight domains of livability that include outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, opportunities to participate in social activities, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, community support and health services. The common thread among the enrolled communities and states is the belief that the places where we live are more livable, and better able to support people of all ages, when local leaders commit to improving the quality of life for the very young, the very old, and everyone in between.
ll of us are aging and the population of the United States is aging rapidly. By 2035, the number of adults older than 65 will be greater than the number of school-age children. In Minnesota, we hit that milestone this year. That’s why since 2012, staff and volunteers have been working throughout the nation to engage and mobilize communities, share expertise, and deliver technical assistance to the towns, cities, counties and states by creating the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (the Network). This work is part of a broader effort to make communities more livable, as well as AARP’s ongoing work to support older adults to live their best lives at every age.
In Minnesota, nine communities have officially enrolled in the Network and are at varying stages of work. While Minneapolis, Alexandria, Northfield and Maple Grove are in the process of implementing their Age-Friendly action plans, Hennepin and Olmsted Counties along with Brooklyn Park, St. Cloud and Princeton are newly enrolled and beginning the process of assessing community needs. To date, the work of these communities has been deliberate and impressive.
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M A P L E G R O V E • B L A I N E • P LY M O U T H • C R Y S T A L
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DECEMBER 2020 MINNESOTA PHYSICIAN
Even before the pandemic hit, the value of pursuing a more “age-friendly future” was evident. A 2019 survey of Network members revealed that 60 percent of enrolled communities in the later stages of their multi- year effort reported having achieved a change in public policy — most frequently in housing, transportation, outdoor spaces and buildings, and health and community services. The same survey revealed that 34 percent achieved a private-sector investment or action, and 85 percent described other successes, such as integrating an age-friendly lens into strategic planning and increasing collaboration within the community. In the midst of COVID-19, the challenges of isolation, access to food and services, financial stresses, and the importance of accurate and timely information have become even more acute for older Minnesotans. As an example, “The Pandemic Effect: A Social Isolation Report” – a just-released study conducted by AARP Foundation in collaboration with the United Health Foundation, found two-thirds of adults report experiencing social isolation and high levels of anxiety since the beginning of the pandemic. The report notes that many of those affected have not turned to anyone for help, perhaps because many don’t have reliable social support networks.
