"AGE FRIENDLY NYC"
New York City Council.
Office of the Mayor.
Program Description
"It just makes perfect business sense to offer senior discounts, smaller portion sizes, home delivery, wheelchair accessibility, and other programs and services to such a vital and vibrant group of New Yorkers."
-Howie Glickberg Vice Chairman of Development, Fairway Markets.
" Local businesses, including grocery stores, banks, and pharmacies, are an essential part of the lives of older adults. Involving local businesses…simple changes such as making a business easier to find, enter, move around in, and make purchases in are good for customers and better for their business. Creative ideas like discounted "senior lunches" when a business is otherwise slow or publishing an age-friendly guide to businesses could be a victory both for older adults and for businesses."
source:nyam.org/agefriendlynyc
Age Friendly NYC started as a result of The World Health Organization’s
Global
Age-Friendly Cities Project.
Age Friendly NYC follows the ‘age-in-everything’ model in planning senior friendly communities.
Age Friendly NYC involves New York seniors by asking them to identify the current needs and challenges in their neighborhood, and then brings together housing developers, builders, landlords, businesses, community organizations, the city of New York and others to create age-friendly solutions.
Results of senior surveys found that:
80% of seniors want to age in their own home and community (age in place) instead of retirement communities or nursing homes.
Outdoor chairs and benches encourage older adults to go outside, and affect the distance they can travel from home. Benches are also lacking in businesses such as pharmacies, banks, offices, grocery stores and the post office.
Natural spaces, trees, gardens and open space should be located closer to senior housing.
There is a lack of frequently located public restrooms.
Delivery services that eliminate the need for seniors to carry groceries and laundry home are needed.
Wheel-chair accessible sidewalks are needed.
Cracked sidewalks and potholes need to be repaired by the city to prevent falls.
Longer traffic signals will allow seniors enough time to cross the street.
Improved lighting will provide additional safety for seniors to be out at night.
There is a lack of access to transport, lack of seating, and in some cases a lack of company to attend public events and festivals.
There is a need for entertainment options closer to home such as movie theaters and senior friendly restaurants.
Age Friendly NYC has put together a guide: How To Start an Age-friendly Neighborhood which included how to involve elected officials, senior services, businesses, cultural organizations, housing (builders, developers and architects), religious institutions etc., in creating senior friendly communities. The guide encourages community members to volunteer to make NYC more senior friendly however the concepts in the how to guide can be used for any city.
Age Friendly NYC has great easy tips and ideas for how volunteers can help the elderly.
source:nyam.org/agefriendlynyc
WATCH VIDEO ON AGE FRIENDLY NYC |
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NYAM: Creating an Age-Friendly City from The New York Academy of Medicine on Vimeo. |