TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Center 50+ Advisory Commission Age-Friendly Initiative
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
end
ISSUE:
Center 50+ Advisory Commission Age-Friendly Initiative
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
body
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
The World Health Organization (WHO) started Age-Friendly Communities Initiative in June 2005. WHO realized that communities need to prepare for the rapid aging of our population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic, and social factors that influence the health and well-being of older adults. By doing so, these communities are better equipped to become great places and lifelong homes for people of all ages.
In March 2017, the Center 50+ Advisory Commission petitioned the American Association of Retired Persons in Oregon (AARP Oregon) and World Health Foundation to join the Age-Friendly Network. The support and resources from these organizations provide the framework for the Age-Friendly Initiative and the assessment tool used to evaluate the City of Salem as an Age-Friendly Community.
Bandana Shrestha from AARP Oregon will be attending the City Council meeting to present a certificate to the Mayor and City Council recognizing the official launch of this endeavor and to welcome Salem as a member of the Age-Friendly Communities Network.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
In Salem the number of residents aged 65 and older increased nearly three percent from 2010 to 2015 and is 16.4 percent of the total population. With 7,100 people turning 65 each day in the United States, Salem will see a continued annual increase of those age 65 and older for many years to come.
WHO has identified eight domains of livability that influence the quality of life for all residents:
• Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
• Transportation
• Housing
• Social Participation
• Respect and Social Inclusion
• Civic Participation and Employment
• Communication and Information
• Community Support and Health Services
Center 50+ is in the process of convening a City of Salem Age-Friendly Planning Team. The group will be diverse and include non-profit providers, policy makers, funding agencies, academia, and city, county, and state representatives. The purpose of the group is to ensure that the community’s aging members have the resources to be healthy, independent, and integrated into the community life, for their entire life.
Center 50+ Advisory Commission will convene the Age-Friendly Initiative Planning Team on September 26, 2017, made up of community agency partners and senior advocates, to begin a one-year review of Salem as an Age-Friendly Community.
Alicia Blalock
Administration Division Manager