City of Madison Celebrates New Age-Friendly Designation

MADISON, Ga. - The AARP Network of Age-Friendly States & Communities welcomed the City of Madison into the network during its City Council Public Meeting on Monday night. Madison joins 100 other communities in Georgia and over 700 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.

“Madison is proud to be an Age-Friendly Community. Older adults help retain institutional memory of the history and culture of our city and community. When their knowledge, skills, and contributions are sought out, it benefits people of all ages. Older adults add to the city’s vibrancy. Because of partnerships, like with AARP, our city is richer, and thrives as residents of all ages and abilities engage fully in civic, economic, and social life.” said Mayor Fred Perriman.

“We are thrilled that the City of Madison has joined the network,” said Debra Tyler Horton, State Director for AARP Georgia. “We commend the City Council 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 Madison 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 more than 100 Georgia communities that are currently part of the NAFSC.

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

About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.