The City of Salem has officially joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. On October 22, 2015, AARP presented Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll with a certificate congratulating the city, the mayor, and committee members on their work to make Salem more livable for people at all ages and all stages of life.

Photo credit: Dominick Pangallo, Chief of Staff to Mayor Driscoll, City of Salem

Salem joins other communities around the nation committed to improving elements that enhance independent living for older residents. Common issues are making streets more walkable, improving housing and transportation options, increasing access to key services, and offering more opportunities for residents to participate in community activities.

Salem’s age-friendly effort began last year when the Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JF&CS) collaborated with the Salem Council on Aging to launch the Salem for All Ages project.  The project reached out to residents and organizations to learn what makes Salem a good place to grow older and what would make it better.

Now a part of the City of Salem age-friendly steering committee, JF&CS and other Salem leaders are developing a strategic plan for the age-friendly initiative.  JF&CS continues to not only build awareness for the effort and what it means to be an age-friendly city, but also to make sure residents and organizations know about the services and resources that currently exist for older adults in Salem.

Next steps include developing a grassroots approach from which will emerge issues and ideas to make Salem more age-friendly, and targeting and implementing projects whose early success generates momentum for ongoing organizing and change.

Read more about the certificate presentation in the Salem News