Age Friendly Tucker: It Takes a Village

LOIS RICCI

The concept seemed simple: create communities that can accommodate people at all stages, from toddlers, to twenty-somethings, to those close to and in retirement. Planners call them “Lifelong Communities.” And in 2013, Tucker met the criteria of this very select group when Atlanta Regional Commission named the city one.

Tucker became a city in 2016 and after dealing with the logistics of government, it turned its attention to sidewalks, roads, and other issues brought to the city council. Members of Tucker Civic Association (TCA) Lifelong Community Committee began the Age Friendly Project, using eight domains as a guide to increasing livability in the city for all ages. These domains centered on the key characteristics of a lifelong community; housing, outdoor spaces and buildings, communication and information, pedestrian access and transportation, civic participation and employment, respect and social inclusion, social participation. and health services and community supports. In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) and American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) named Tucker as an Age Friendly City, one of only 1,114 cities worldwide to earn that designation.

The committee designed a plan and formed teams to identify challenges and opportunities in each domain. Many members of the community looked at the project as just being concerned with aging. It took some time but residents eventually began to realize that walkability, affordable housing, and accessibility to transportation and community services are not just important to seniors but everyone.

Monthly articles in Our Town DeKalb reported on the goals and progress of the committee, helping gain support for the efforts from both the city and its residents. Topics included transportation (including the idea of a Tucker trolley), and diversifying housing types and costs to appeal to a broader demographic. These articles and community comments instigated discussions amongst city officials and county commissioners, and definitely moved these topics up the list.

Again, following recommendations set forth by the Age Friendly Community guidelines, Tucker has ready access to health services with hospitals, urgent care, and doctors close by. Community services, grocery stores, ancillary health

The annual Taste of Tucker is just one of the city’s many street fairs that keep residents socially connected.

providers, and other services are easily accessed as well. Schools in Tucker excel in academics and athletics. The city maintains social participation for residents through an active recreation center, a community theater, parks, and a new fitness court.

For health services and community support, TCA Lifelong Community Committee successfully piloted the Georgia Yellow Dot Safety Program, designed to alert EMTs to vital information that can save the lives of their patients. Packets are available at Cofer Library, Tucker Rec Center, or by contacting committee member guyvanort@kw.com. The city has also responded to the special needs communities with adaptive features like ramps and wide doorways in housing and public facilities.

With support of the city, the committee plans to roll out a “Welcome to Tucker” program, providing new residents with packets that include community resources, a business directory, and coupons. The program will include volunteers to personally welcome and connect with new Tucker residents.

Tucker was a recent addition to America Walks, a national program focused on health and wellness through walking. The program will launch in Tucker in 2022, calling on all of Tucker to tell us how you walk - alone, in small groups, or as a part of an organized program.

The Lifelong Community Committee has completed and submitted an action plan to WHO and AARP, identifying these and other projects, as well as plans for maintenance of Tucker’s Age Friendly Designation. The plan was approved, and Tucker’s designation was renewed for another five years. But much work is ahead to make sure the projects are done. Everyone needs to get involved to make sure Tucker remains an Age Friendly Cty, one that we can continue to call home. It takes a village to make a city.

DR. LOIS RICCI is a longtime resident of Tucker, where she chairs the Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches gerontology courses and the Professional Development in Gerontology Certificate Class. Ricci also serves as an official representative for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), co-facilitator for the Rosalyn Carter CareNet, and on the board of the Atlanta Regional Commission Advisory Committee on Aging. Contact Dr. Ricci at loisricci@ bellsouth.net.