Boulder County, Latest to Receive Age Friendly Designation

Boulder County is the latest Colorado County inducted into the AARP Network of Age-Friendly communities.

AARP Colorado State Director Bob Murphy recently presented the Age Friendly Community recognition certificate to Boulder County Commissioner Deb Gardner.

“The Age Friendly Community designation reinforces the work the Age Well leadership team has performed for more than 10 years,” says Sherry Leach, Manager, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging (AAA). “The team, made up of senior services in the cities of Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette and Erie, along with the AAA, has designed and implemented an Age Well philosophy incorporating the public and private sectors, agencies, and individuals across the area. Working together, this team has helped to create vibrant communities in Boulder County where all of our residents can age well.”

The AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities is an affiliate of the World Health Organization’s Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, an international effort launched in 2006 to help cities prepare for their own growing population of older adults.

The designation means a municipality will work to become a great place to live with features such as walkable streets, affordable housing, transportation, access to key services for residents as they age. Each community has different initiatives to improve their age friendly communities.

Other than Boulder County, Colorado Springs, Denver and Larimer County have received the designation by AARP.

Communities participating in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities commit to ongoing improvement and submit to a rigorous assessment cycle of enhancements. Members become part of a global network of communities committed to providing older adults with the opportunity to live rewarding, productive and safe lives.

Benefits of membership include guidance from national experts, admission into the World Health Organization’s age-friendly network, resources for identifying and developing assessment and survey tools, best practices, evaluation tools and invitations to organized trainings and networking events to name a few.

 [Photo (L-R) Juli McKenzie, senior services supervisor, city of Lafayette; Eden Mayne, senior services manager, city of Boulder; Katie Beasley, senior services supervisor, city of Louisville; Michele Waite, senior services manager, city of Longmont; Sherry Leach, manager, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging; Bob Murphy, AARP Colorado state director; Laura Mathews, planning & advocacy specialist, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging AAA; Deb Gardner, Boulder County Commissioner. Photo courtesy of Eric Patzer, Boulder County Community Services.]