City of Forsyth Becomes 764th Age-Friendly Community in US

FORSYTH, Ga. -- The AARP Network of Age-Friendly States & Communities welcomed the City of Forsyth into the network during an in-person designation ceremony at City Hall on Monday, May 15. The city of Forsyth serves more than 4,000 Georgians and joins almost 800 other communities across the nation that have committed to preparing for an aging population.

Launched in 2012, the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC) is an organizational affiliate of the World Health Organization Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, a program launched in 2006. Through the age-friendly program, AARP helps participating communities to become more livable and age-friendly by creating safer and more walkable streets, needed housing and transportation options, better access to key services, and opportunities for residents to participate in community activities.

“We are excited to receive this important designation and look forward to finding even more ways to serve seniors in our community”— Mayor Eric Wilson, City of Forsyth.

“We are thrilled the city of Forsyth has joined the network,” said Debra Tyler Horton, State Director for AARP Georgia. “We commend the city for recognizing the value of being an age-friendly community for people of all ages, and we look forward to continuing our work together to make the city a great place to grow up and grow old.”

The NAFSC provides a structured process that guides change and serves as a catalyst to educate, encourage, promote, and recognize improvements that benefit residents of all ages and life stages. Enrollment in the network provides member communities with the resources to become more age-friendly by tapping into national and global research, planning models and best practices.

Georgia is home to the nation’s first age-friendly community – Macon-Bibb County– which is celebrating its 10-year NAFSC anniversary in 2022. In total, there are 63 Georgia communities that are currently part of the NAFSC.

For more information, visit www.aarp.org/livable