New York City was named by the World Health Organization to be one of the first thirty five Age-friendly cities worldwide to address population aging and urbanization. Age-friendly cities were identified and created as an initiative to improve the growing needs of the aging population. Through strategic implementation of improved accessibility to services, the goal of this age-friendly initiative is to enhance the quality of life and independence of older adults aging in cities.
According to the 2013 U.S. Census Bureau, the five boroughs of New York City is home to 8,405,837 people. By 2030, one out of five residents of NYC will be over 60 years of age. In collaboration with the World Health Organization, the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) has been making strides by identifying three Aging Improvement Districts in New York City: Upper West Side, Bedford-Stuyvesant and East Harlem.
In 2010, East Harlem was named the first Aging improvement district in New York City. With assistance from Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, now Speaker of the City Council, an advisory group of community partners, businesses, and older adults was created to examine the needs of aging adults in East Harlem and determine how to address these concerns and improve the neighborhood for older adults. The advisory group’s community meetings fostered a deeper connection for residents and solutions such as increased seating at neighborhood businesses, improved laundry access in public housing, improved access to programming for older adults and special hours at the Thomas Jefferson Park Pool were instituted.
The Hartford Silberman Center of Excellence in Aging and Diversity and the Silberman School of Social Work are proud to partner with NYAM, the Office of City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito, and the East Harlem community to continue working on the age-friendly initiative. Through collaboration and parternships with local organizations and business, the Center is working to improve service accessibility and inclusivity for the diverse aging population in East Harlem.