Recently, I stood alongside County Executive Steve Bellone, Legislator Sarah Anker, Mayor Paul Pontieri, and AARP Associate State Director William Stoner and the residents of Patchogue’s Seacrest Village Apartments to announce that Suffolk County has adopted the AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly Communities principles. These guidelines will help make neighborhoods across Suffolk County safer and more accessible for people of all generations.
There are eight areas that are considered when planning an AARP “Age-Friendly” Community:
1. Outdoor spaces and buildings—accessibility to and availability of safe recreational facilities.
Find out what's happening in Patchoguewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
2. Transportation—safe and affordable modes of private and public transportation.
3. Housing—wide range of housing options for older residents; aging in place; and other home modification programs.
Find out what's happening in Patchoguewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
4. Social participation—access to leisure and cultural activities; opportunities for older residents to participate in social and civic engagement with their peers and younger people.
5. Respect and social inclusion—programs to support and promote ethnic and cultural diversity, along with programs to encourage multigenerational interaction and dialogue.
6. Civic participation and employment—promotion of paid work and volunteer activities for older residents and opportunities to engage in formulation of policies relevant to their lives.
7. Communication and information—promotion of and access to the use of technology to keep older residents connected to their community and friends and family, both near and far.
8. Community support and health services—access to homecare services, clinics, and programs to promote wellness and active aging.
These eight domains represent facets of life we all consider priorities. By joining AARP’s network of Age-Friendly Communities, Suffolk County is signaling our commitment to making all our neighborhoods high-quality places for people of all ages to live.
The next step from here is the formation of a Blue Ribbon Blue Ribbon Commission. County Executive has called for the Commission to be comprised of a representative from the Suffolk County Senior Advisory Council, senior community leaders representing each town and representatives from appropriate Suffolk County departments to review AARP’s criteria for Age-Friendly Communities as well as make recommendations for implementation within Suffolk County.
I’m looking forward to working the County Executive and the Commission to make Suffolk County a safe, accessible and vibrant place for people from all generation to live. If you have any suggestions for how we can make sure our communities are livable for people of all ages, please feel free to comment on my blog, send an email to Robert.Calarco@suffolkcountyny.gov or give my office a call at (631) 854-1400.
