GREENFIELD — If you are a Franklin County resident and would like to stay in your home as you age, or if you are a city or town official that would like to not only keep aging residents in place, but attract others, you should attend “Age-Friendly Community Planning: A Tool for Building Stronger Communities” today.
Franklin Regional Council of Governments will hold a municipal officials workshop — the public is invited — from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Allen Meeting Room at the John W. Olver Transit Center on Olive Street.
According to FRCOG Director of Community Services Phoebe Walker, the agency would like to help the county create places where older residents cannot only live, but thrive. She said if communities want to keep their longtime residents, they’re going to have to meet some of their basic needs.
She said the workshop will provide information, as well as encourage town and city leaders to start thinking about how to assess what they have and what they need to keep their elderly residents in place.
“The point of the workshop is to help explain the processes of the age-friendly model, which are used by the World Health Organization and AARP,” she said. “There are basically eight domains that lead to age friendliness. We want those who want to participate to learn how to set goals, do the assessments and move forward.”
She said the eight domains are outdoor spaces and public places, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, work and civic engagement, communications and information, and community and health services.
“If you’re looking at parks and other public spaces, are there benches where seniors can sit?” she said. “Are there activities within a community that are held at times that are convenient for older residents?”
Walker said when a town or city decides to become an “official” age-friendly community, it opens the door to resources and funding.
The free workshop is for municipal officials, including selectboards, councils on aging and boards of health, human services professionals, legislators, community organizers, but it is also open to concerned citizens.
Lunch will be provided. To RSVP, call 413-774-3167, ext. 101, or email: registrations@frcog.org.
For more information, visit: frcog.org.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-0261, ext. 269 or afritz@recorder.com.