What Big Business Can Learn from Age-Friendly Communities

Since 2010 the World Health Organization WHO has ambitiously and wisely designated certain cities and counties around the world as worthy of belonging to its Global Network of AgeFriendly Communities and Cities The network offers a researchbased blueprint or roadmap for cities and countries to follow something many places have done WHO leadership believed that two global trends in particular aging and urbanization had to be formally addressed lest millions of lives be negatively affected over the next few decades Through its network communities have the very real opportunity to as the saying goes quotThink globally act locallyquotWithin the United States WHO39s effort is led by AARP the country39s leading advocate for the aging population Since 2012 hundreds of American cities and counties have applied to AARP39s AgeFriendly Network in order to be recognized as age friendly Included in each application is an outline of what steps will be taken to make their community a more attractive place for older people to live or just visit Enlisting in the program is a fiveyear commitment that begins with assessing the needs of older residents 50plus forming a plan putting it in place and then determining how well it worksThe Growing Age Friendly Community MovementRather than be considered an end however a community being designated as age friendly is more the beginning Membership in the network means elected officials have made the commitment to actively work towards making their community a good place for people of all ages not that the town city county or state is currently age friendly or a good place to retire In that sense the network is aspirational a philosophy that contrasts the stringent outcomebased approach to which most local governments adhere Even better initiatives begun in a municipality often spread throughout a county like kudzu with entire states recently jumping on board as governors see the demographic writing on the wallJoining the growing movement which includes all shapes and sizes of communities including rural areas takes some doing There are eight areas or domains to consider when seeking the AARP Network39s designation outdoor spaces and buildings transportation housing social participation respect and social inclusion civic participation and employment communication and information and community and health servicesThe range of questions for applicants to ask themselves is rather mindboggling combining the macro and the micro Is there enough affordable housing If not do zoning laws have to be changed Can older people easily navigate the public parks Are there holding bars in public bathrooms Are there benches along heavily walked sidewalks or nature trails Is there enough public transportation Are there enough taxis and Ubers Do the quotWalkquot signs blink long enough for everyone to get across wider streets Most important would people want to grow old hereThe Heart and Soul of the Age Friendly PropositionWhile communities are expending much effort and significant resources to redesign and improve their built environment and broaden their portfolio of services a massive undertaking that is costing billions of dollars and innumerable person hours the same cannot be said of Big Business Large corporations are making virtually no effort to extend such a welcome to older people in fact they are making a concerted effort to exclude them as workers consumers and citizens seeing little or no value in making them part of their respective organizations39 mission and everyday practicesHow could one group of people see things so differently from another group of people even when some of them are the same people Some of those taking part in agefriendly community programs no doubt work for local companies that are pursuing ageunfriendly policies in other words making this paradox yet more incomprehensible A manager helping rake the leaves on the front lawn of a senior citizen may the very next day toss out the resume of an older job applicant because of his or her age a truly schizophrenic scenarioThe flourishing of agefriendly communities across the country and world shows that despite the many obstacles this can be done Incentivized by both civic responsibility and economic considerations communities of all stripes are eagerly courting older residents and exerting great effort to attract and retain them A healthy community is a diverse one local leaders understand making a multigenerational population a much soughtafter goal Small towns and big cities are thinking globally and acting locally the heart and soul of the agefriendly propositionBridging the Gap Between the Public and Private ArenasRather than just talk about inclusiveness then communities are demonstrating it in many different ways even if it means tearing up sidewalks or spending money for more benches in the public parks This is America at its best doing what it takes to make life better for all the people even if they are heavily financially motivated Older people who can afford it like to eat out a lot keep some of their savings in banks that can be then loaned out and spend absurd amounts of money on their children and grandchildren Agefriendly communities serve as hard evidence that older people do not have to be treated with scorn and derisionIf the mayor of a town with a smaller population than the number of employees of a Fortune 1000 corporation gets this why can39t Big Business Why can39t managers within Corporate America especially those in HR apply the successful model of age communities to the way they run their organizations Businesspeople talk a lot about diversity and inclusion but are simply not interested in it regarding age and have admitted so Less than 10 of DampampI initiatives address ageism in the workplace one survey showed making the actual number likely even smallerLet39s find ways to bridge this gap between the public and private arenas to make our age of aging a golden one for everyoneClick the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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What Big Business Can Learn from Age-Friendly Communities

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Larry Samuel

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