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Over 1 million New York City residents, or 12 % of the total population, are age 65 or older, a number projected to increase by 40.7 % over the next 20 years (U.S. Census Bureau 2013a; New York City Department of City Planning 2013). Age-friendly New York City (Age-friendly NYC), an initiative launched in 2007 by the New York Academy of Medicine, the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York, and the New York City Council, works to make the City the best possible place for older people to live through improvements to policies, practices, and programs. Age-friendly NYC asks older adults about their daily lives and uses their feedback to develop creative, low-cost solutions to reduce barriers to maximum social and economic participation. Some of the improvements made by Age-friendly NYC include a reduction in senior pedestrian fatalities by 21 %, increased walkability through the addition of public seating, new programming for older people at parks, educational and cultural institutions, and a better consumer experience offered by many local businesses. One of the founding members of the World Health Organization (2007) Global Age-friendly Cities Network, Age-friendly NYC utilizes a “top-down and bottom-up” approach that allows for both citywide and neighborhood-specific interventions. Making this engine for change work requires a repeated cycle of direct consultation with older adults, documentation of best practices, development of tools and resource materials, support for institutions and communities implementing innovative ideas, translation of such ideas into program and policy changes, and sustained communication with stakeholders, policy makers, and the public at large. |
