Is Rochester meeting the needs of residents as they age?

A pair of community organizations are teaming up to understand how Rochester can better meet the needs of residents as they age.

In the City for Good, a grassroots group working to address the challenges of growth in Rochester, is collaborating with AARP Minnesota to gather community input on eight areas of focus, including transportation, housing, social inclusion and civic participation. The survey is a first step toward Rochester joining the the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities.

“Our Age-Friendly Action Group has been at work for about a year laying the groundwork for this survey and our local application to become part of this world-wide movement,” said Dave Beal of In the City for Good.

The network, according to a news release, “helps participating communities become great places for people of all ages by adopting features such as safe, walkable streets; better housing and transportation options; access to key services; and opportunities for residents to participate in civic and community activities.” The initiative is aligned with the World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Program, which has participating communities in more than 20 nations.

By joining the AARP network, Rochester would have access to global resources and information on age-friendly best practices, models of assessment and implementation.

You can take the survey by clicking here.