Age-Friendly Montgomery County Seeks Community Input

Membership in AARP’s Age-Friendly Network of States and Communities signals a community’s commitment to creating inclusive, livable environments for people of all ages—especially older adults. It encourages local leaders to prioritize accessibility, safety, and engagement across transportation, housing, health services, and social participation. “AARP Maryland is thrilled to celebrate Montgomery County’s 10-year anniversary as part of the Age-Friendly Network, recognizing a decade of progress and partnership,” said Jen Holz, AARP Maryland senior associate state director for outreach.

As the county looks ahead, completing the community needs survey is more important than ever—it ensures that evolving priorities are heard and addressed, helping shape the next ten years of thoughtful, responsive planning.

Based on an Age-Friendly community needs assessment conducted in 2015, Montgomery County and its partners created or modified a wide variety of public spaces, programs, and services. Ten years later, the county hopes to learn what has changed for the better, and what still needs attention.

“A lot has changed since 2015!” said Age-Friendly Montgomery Co-Chair Adriane Clutter. “And more changes are on the horizon. We need to understand how residents feel about the county and its activities before we update our next Age-Friendly plan.”

Age-Friendly Montgomery is an initiative that brings together county departments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, residents, and advocates, such as members of the Montgomery County Commission on Aging. The initiative is comprehensive, focusing on ten domains of community life. Workgroups dedicated to each of the domains are responsible for many of the Age-Friendly improvements in areas as disparate as housing, transportation, and human services programs. Advocacy and investment by elected leaders also play a crucial role.

“Despite changes in county leadership and community leaders over the last ten years, the commitment to older adults has not wavered,” said Shawn Brennan, Age-Friendly Montgomery program manager. “We want residents to see Montgomery County as their forever-home, and need to understand what it takes to achieve that.”

Residents of all ages, and especially those over age 55, are encouraged to complete the latest survey. It is available in multiple languages at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/senior.