“We are committed to our senior population and making our community friendly to people of all ages,” the mayor said. Roanoke became the 202
nd
city in the country to join the network.
“Roanoke’s leaders are committed to making sure the Star City leads the region in meeting the current and future needs of people of all ages,” said AARP Virginia State Director Jim Dau. “This membership is a credit to Mayor Lea and the City Council, as well as critical partners like the Local Office on Aging who helped make this happen.”
LOA
helped lead efforts to bring together important stakeholders from the community’s public, private, and non-profit sectors to secure the designation for the city.
“The City of Roanoke and its surrounding region face
s
a steep slope of shifting demographics with the ratio
s
of older adults far exceeding the current state and national average,” said Ron Boyd, Chief Executive Officer of the LOA. “In the next ten years
,
projections reveal that one-in-four persons in the city will be 65 and older
.
As we approach 2030, the population of adults 65 and over will outnumber children under 18 for the first time in our nation’s history,”
Launched in 2012, the AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities is an independent affiliate of the World Health Organization’s Age Friendly Cities and Communities Program, an international effort launched in 2006 to help cities prepare for the growth of the older adult population.
“Our seniors are valuable members of our community and have valuable contributions to make to our quality of life. This designation assists them in living comfortably as they age,” said Dr. David Trinkle, Roanoke City Council Member.
The network encourages and provides resources to states, counties, cities, towns, and rural areas to take action by adopting such features as walkable streets, better housing and transportation options, access to key services, and opportunities for residents to participate in community activities.
“Roanoke is a fantastic place to live, work, and play, but many people still experience challenges on issues like transportation and housing,” added Dau. “We look forward to helping Roanoke become an even better community, now and in the years to come.”