Building an Age-Friendly Gary

Creating walkable neighborhoods and pleasant outdoor spaces are among the goals of officials in Gary, as the city embarks on an effort to become more age-friendly.

The former steel town in northwest Indiana recently rejoined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities after its earlier membership had lapsed. But this time, the city has formed an Age-Friendly Advisory Council to assess residents’ needs.

“We recognized the need for older adult support and that the community was really overlooked,” says Kianna Grant, the city’s director of constituent services.

Mayor Eddie D. Melton signed an executive order creating the council in February. The group includes representatives from sectors including health care, food assistance, public transportation, parks and recreation, and housing.

One of its first tasks was to launch a community needs assessment survey. The survey aims to gather residents’ input in areas that affect livability, including transportation, civic participation, health services and housing. Residents can complete the survey online.

The next step will be to create an action plan to make changes.

“This is definitely something we need,” says AARP volunteer Mattie Perry-Lightfoot, 75. “Gary is trying to come back to life again.”

The survey and plan are a part of the process when communities join AARP’s age-friendly network. The network includes hundreds of towns, cities and counties across the country, including seven in Indiana.

In South Bend, which joined in 2021, the city has held listening sessions and workshops to develop an action plan, which will launch in December.

“We aim to create a city where residents feel safe, supported and excited to live and age,” says Allison Zeithammer, the city’s communications director. She adds that the age-friendly designation helps keep South Bend accountable to its residents.

In Gary, Grant says that several grant applications are in the works to improve street crossings and public spaces in neighborhoods where many older adults live. One street crossing that is targeted for improvement is near senior housing and also near a university, so it would benefit multiple generations.

The city is also working with the housing authority to improve the outdoor space around a senior housing high-rise, Grant says. She adds that the advisory council’s reports to the mayor will address both problems and opportunities for older residents.

“Communication is always a barrier that our older adult community faces,” she says. “We want to get their feedback and better support them.”

To learn more about the Gary Age-Friendly Advisory Council, go to gary.gov/age-friendly.

Also, find out more about the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities at aarp.org/agefriendly.

Also of Interest:

• What Are the Most Livable Communities in the U.S.? AARP's Index Crunches the Number
• Top 100 Places to Live in the U.S. for Older Adults
• Why Walkable Communities Are the Best Communities for Older Adults