|
E-mail this page to a friend!
Getting Communities on Track for an Aging Population
Five national organizations start new effort to help
local communities
Aug. 24, 2005 Five national organizations have
joined forces to assess the aging readiness of Americans communities
and to identify solutions. The program is named, The Maturing of
America Getting Communities on Track for an Aging Population, and
begins in November.
The project is being led by the National
Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), in partnership with the
International City/County Management Association, National Association
of Counties, National League of Cities and Partners for Livable
Communities. It is funded by a grant from MetLife Foundation.
The organizations see a need to help cities and
counties better meet the needs of an aging population, and to leverage
the experience and talent of older Americans. The see motivation in the
baby boomers reaching retirement age, which will push the number of
Americans 65 and older to almost 72 million in 2030. One out of five
Americans will be senior citizens.
In the project's first phase, The Maturing of
America partners will produce a survey that will be distributed to
10,000 local governments, which will be used to determine the "aging
readiness" of individual areas. For example, the survey will ask whether
or not a city or town is promoting sound nutrition and physical fitness,
or offering opportunities for civic engagement. In all, 15 indicators
will be used.
The survey will answer three key preparedness
questions: whether efforts are being made to assess and put into place
programs, policies and services that address the needs of older adults
and their caregivers; whether cities and counties are able to ensure
that their communities are liveable for all ages - not only good places
to grow up but good places to grow old; and how well equipped an area is
able to harness the talent, wisdom and experience of older adults to
contribute to the community at large.
After the first phase is completed, a more in-depth survey will be sent
to 500 communities whose initial responses indicated a high degree of
readiness. This secondary data will be compiled for a "promising
practices" guide that will assist other cities and counties across the
nation increase their capacity to effectively serve the growing segment
of aging Americans.
The survey portion of the program is scheduled to
be completed by April 2006. A national and local media campaign to
advance the "promising practices" information to communities throughout
the United States will be conducted during the summer of 2006.
Partners for Livable Communities and n4a are also
involved in a joint initiative to work with cities and counties to
facilitate a community dialogue on "aging in place," and to assist
community leaders in developing an action plan to ensure programs and
services are in place so that communities are good places to grow old.
The objective of the Aging in Place Initiative is
to assist communities to improve their livability for older persons and
in turn, increase livability for all people. It is an 18-month community
engagement process to assist communities to improve their livability for
older persons and in turn, increase livability for all people.
"n4a and its partners are eager to move forward on
this initiative and are grateful to MetLife Foundation for supporting
it," said n4a CEO Sandy Markwood. "We believe it will benefit our
nation's population by identifying, defining and promoting ways for
communities to better meet the needs of aging Americans, and to
capitalize on the assets they provide."
"MetLife Foundation is pleased to support this
project, which we believe will bring much-needed public awareness to the
growing aging population and its impact on communities across the
country," said MetLife Foundation President Sibyl Jacobson.
About the organizations
MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 by
MetLife to carry on its long-standing tradition of corporate
contributions and community involvement. Grants support health,
education, civic and cultural programs. In aging, the Foundation funds
programs that promote healthy aging and address issues of caregiving,
intergenerational activities, mental fitness, and volunteerism. The
Foundation also supports research on Alzheimer's disease through its
Awards for Medical Research program. More information about the
Foundation is available at
www.metlife.org.
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
(n4a) - is the leading voice on aging issues for Area Agencies on Aging
across the country and a champion for Title VI-Native American aging
programs in our nation's capital. Through its presence in Washington,
D.C., n4a advocates on behalf of the local aging agencies to ensure that
needed resources and support services are available to older Americans
and their caregivers. For more information, go to
www.n4a.org.
International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
- is the professional and educational organization for chief appointed
managers, administrators, and assistants in cities, towns, counties, and
regional entities throughout the world. For more information, go to
www.icma.org.
National Association of Counties (NACo) - is the
national organization that represents county governments in the United
States. For more information, go to
www.naco.org.
National League of Cities (NLC) - is the largest
national organization representing municipal governments throughout the
United States. For more information, go to
www.nlc.org.
Partners for Livable Communities (PLC) - is a
national, nonprofit organization working to restore and renew our
communities. For more information, go to
www.livable.com.
Aging in Place -
http://aipi.n4a.org/index.htm
Click to More Senior News on the
Front Page
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
