Macon-Bibb County, Georgia 2013 Age-Friendly Community Action Plan Photo courtesy of Macon Economic Development Commission, http://www.maconworks.com/living-in-macon.cms Page 2 of 47 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 4 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 5 Age-Friendly Designation ................................................................................................................ 6 The First Two Years ....................................................................................................................... 11 The Eight Domains ........................................................................................................................ 17 Age-Friendly Goals and Action Items ............................................................................................ 18 Domain 1: Outdoor Spaces and Buildings ................................................................................. 19 Domain 2: Transportation ......................................................................................................... 23 Domain 3: Housing .................................................................................................................... 27 Domain 4: Social Participation .................................................................................................. 31 Domain 5: Respect and Social Inclusion .................................................................................... 33 Domain 6: Communication and Information ............................................................................ 35 Domain 7: Civic Participation and Employment ........................................................................ 37 Domain 8: Community Support and Health Services ................................................................ 41 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 46 Appendix A: Designation Press Release Appendix B: Community Advisory Council Members Appendix C: Age-Friendly Resolutions Appendix D: Evaluation Process and Age-Friendly Work Plan Appendix E: Becoming an Age-Friendly Community, Macon-Bibb 2012 Appendix F: Health Assessment Appendix G: Macon-Bibb Emergency Management Agency Emergency Operations Plan For additional information, please contact the office of Macon-Bibb County Mayor, Robert Reichert at (478) 751-7170. Page 3 of 47 Acknowledgements The efforts to move Macon-Bibb forward in its Age-Friendly agenda could not have been realized without the support, personal experience, and professional expertise of all involved in this process. Macon-Bibb County has made tremendous strides in the first two years of its designation. Because of this, it is important to acknowledge the efforts of all involved with Age- Friendly Macon-Bibb so that momentum continues. Thank you to Mayor Robert Reichert and Chairman Sam Hart and their dedicated staff members for the tremendous support and endorsement they have provided to Age-Friendly Macon-Bibb. The enthusiasm they have shown has been a great inspiration and driving force for the members of the Age-Friendly Community Advisory Council. Age-Friendly Macon-Bibb has been guided from its inception by a distinguished Community Advisory Council. For the generous giving of their time, resources, and expertise, we would like to thank each member. They include the following: Mary Alexander, Macon-Bibb County Health Department; Ivan Allen, Central Georgia Technical College; Julie Allen, Carlyle Place; John Alligood, Macon-Bibb Transit Authority; Marjorie Almand, Bibb County Department of Family and Children Services; Toni Altenburg, Magnolia Manor; Kevin Barrere, Bibb County Commission; Stacy Barrett, Wesleyan College; John R. Black, Middle Georgia State College; Greg Brown, Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning; Katherine Buchman, City of Macon Economic and Community Development; Pam Carswell, Keep Macon Beautiful; Dale Dougherty, Bibb County Parks and Recreation; Mike Dyer, Macon Chamber of Commerce; Alexandra Edwards, Community Foundation; Luciana Green, Macon-Bibb Economic Opportunity Council; Kris Hattaway, NewTown Macon; Sam Henderson, City of Macon; Thomas Jones, Middle Georgia Regional Library; Karen Middleton, Macon Housing Authority; Robin North, Macon Convention and Visitors Center; Theresa Robinson, Georgia Power; Gigi Rolfes, Volunteer Macon; Harold Tessendorf, Habitat for Humanity; Frank Tompkins, Macon City Council; William Underwood, Mercer University; Geri Ward, Middle Georgia Area Agency on Aging; and Cliffard Whitby, Promise Neighborhood. Thank you to report coordinators, Courtney Verdier and Cuirstaun Echols of the Middle Georgia Regional Commission, for their support and efforts in compiling this action plan. Special thanks to the advisors of the Community Advisory Council, Karen Cooper of AARP Georgia, and Myrtle Habersham of M.S. Habersham Consulting Services for their dedication and steadfast support of Age-Friendly Macon-Bibb. Page 4 of 47 Introduction Recognized for its rich cultural heritage, its lasting influence on popular music, and its highly acclaimed colleges and universities, Macon-Bibb, Georgia is accustomed to being a stand out community. In April 2012, Macon-Bibb gained recognition in a new capacity when it was designated by AARP and the World Health Organization (WHO) as an “Age-Friendly Community.” WHO defines an “Age-Friendly Community” as one that “encourages active aging by optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.” Through this designation, Macon-Bibb became the first American community to become a member of AARP’s Network for Age-Friendly Communities. The purpose of this program is to encourage and promote public policies to make communities friendlier to aging populations. The intent is that communities that adopt progressive and forward-thinking policies will attract and retain more residents. Age-Friendly will also provide varied services for older residents, their families, and caregivers, and will ultimately build communities that encourage active and healthy aging. AARP encourages Age-Friendly Communities to be All-Age Friendly Communities, because the enhancements that take place which are good for seniors are also good for families and multi- generations. The demographics of the United States are changing rapidly with the aging of the baby boomer generation. It has been estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau that by the year 2030, one in five Americans will be an older adult (over 65). With this change, communities across the country are having to make major adjustments in the way they provide for their residents. This is especially true in Georgia where the U.S. Census Bureau has indicated that Georgia’s population is aging faster than that of the entire United States. In an effort to develop a framework by which communities could work to become age-friendly, WHO worked with focus groups in 33 urban cities around the world and asked older people to describe the various benefits and obstacles they have experienced as a result of living in their city. From these discussions, WHO was able to identify eight key areas of interest (or domains) that were of particular concern for older adults. The eight domain areas are: outdoor spaces and buildings; transportation; housing; social participation; respect and social inclusion; civic participation and employment; communication and information; and community support and health services. Centrally located in the State of Georgia, Macon-Bibb is unique in that it contains both a large metropolitan central area, as well as outlying neighborhoods that are considered rural in nature because of the population size and the limited availability of services. This unique contrast between areas of Macon-Bibb is often an attribute that older adults find attractive, as they often require the abundance of services that can be found in a large city, but desire the quaintness of a small town. In 2012, citizens age 60 years and over made up approximately 19 percent of the Macon-Bibb population with a concentration of 29,352 individuals [Online Analytical Statistical Information System (OASIS), 2013]. Given that this population is expected to continue to grow at a rapid rate, AARP Georgia identified Macon-Bibb as a target community for outreach to work toward enhancing the quality of life for all as they age. Page 5 of 47 Age-Friendly Designation Active aging is a lifelong process. Therefore, an age-friendly city is not just an elderly-friendly city, but accommodating to those of all ages. Age-Friendly communities enable all citizens to thrive regardless of age, mobile abilities, or socio-economic status. As mentioned previously, an Age-Friendly Community is an inclusive environment that encourages active and healthy aging, for all ages. However, barriers exist both in the home and in the community that hinder active and healthy aging. Many homes have obstacles that can be difficult to overcome as people get older – such as stairs, narrow doorways, poor lighting, etc. – as do many public spaces. Through this program, Macon-Bibb County will identify these obstacles and recommend additional types of services that may be needed in the future so