"Age My Way NC" seeks more rural input

NEW BERN, NC – Age My Way NC, a North Carolina collaboration to identify and prioritize changes needed to support older adults, will be hosting a public listening session in New Bern on December 1, from 5-6:30 pm, at Cullman Hall – North Carolina History Center – Tryon Palace, 529 South Street.

The session will help the state better prepare to meet the needs of its largest population group, people ages 65 and older. In the next twenty years, this population will increase from 1.7 to 2.7 million people, a projected growth of 52%. 

The New Bern listening session, as well as one planned for Morganton on December 16, follows the release of a statewide survey that asked North Carolinians 45 years and older how their communities, counties, and rural areas are meeting the needs of the state’s growing population of older adults.

State and community planners hope to hear from more people in rural areas since the majority of survey’s responses were from people in larger urban areas. Mary Penny Kelley, Executive Director of Governor Roy Cooper’s rural initiative Hometown Strong and coordinator of the “Age My Way NC” project said, “The public session will hear from families, caregivers, older adults, medical professionals, city leadership, businesses and regional non-profit organizations that focus on the aging community in rural areas.”

AARP North Carolina Manager of Livable Communities Lisa Riegel said, "Altough they often overlap, rural communities often have different needs than areas with easier acces to things like transportation and healthcare. We look forward to hearing more specifically about the improvements that can be made to help people live the lives they want to live as they age."

Among the topics of interest are affordable and accessible housing, health care, transportation, technology/broadband, employment training, and social service programs

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR the listening sessions that are being hosted by the State of North Carolina, AARP North Carolina, and NC Department of Health and Human Services.

Click here for more information on the Age My Way NC survey.