Cross-posted from Age-Friendly Boston
By Mayor Martin J. Walsh

Here in Boston, we are committed to making our city a place where everyone can succeed — of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. This is our guiding principle as we plan and build the future of our city. That’s why an essential goal of our citywide plan is to make sure the seniors who built our city can continue to thrive here. And it’s why I announced in my State of the City address last month that we are building a plan to make Boston the most age-friendly city in America.

Seniors make up the fastest-growing sector of our city’s population. More than 14% of our population is above the age of 60. That number is expected to grow to 20% by 2030. We’re thrilled so many seniors regard our city as a place where they can live and thrive.

That’s why one of my first actions as Mayor was signing up Boston for the World Health Organization’s Global Network of Age Friendly Communities through AARP. And with the help of the UMass Boston Gerontology Institute, we listened and surveyed thousands of older adults in every neighborhood. This year, we will be analyzing all the data and we will use it to develop our plan to make Boston the most age-friendly city in America. Continue reading