WAUWATOSA, WI – AARP Wisconsin is thrilled to announce that the City of Wauwatosa has been officially accepted as a member of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities.
The Network is an affiliate of the World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Cities and Communities Program, an international effort launched in 2006 to help cities prepare for rapid population aging and the parallel trend of urbanization. The program has participating communities in more than 20 nations.
Wauwatosa becomes the seventh municipality in Wisconsin to earn the designation, joining Sheboygan, Greendale, Shorewood, La Crosse, Madison, and Oshkosh. Across the country, 624 communities have joined the Network, as they actively work to make their towns, cities or villages great places to live for people of all ages.
“People choose to live and stay in Wauwatosa because it’s an inclusive and accessible place, said Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride. “We’re proud that AARP has recognized our commitment to, and investment in, affordable housing, public spaces, and health services that provide a great living environment for people of all ages and types.”
The AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities helps participating communities become better for citizens of all ages by adopting such features as safe, walkable streets, better housing and transportation options, access to key services, and opportunities for residents to participate in civic and community activities.
Christina FitzPatrick, Interim State Director of AARP Wisconsin, said, “We’re incredibly pleased to welcome the City of Wauwatosa as a member of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. “We know from our research at AARP that 80 percent of older adults want to stay in their communities as they age, and Wauwatosa is at the forefront of making sure our communities are not only great places to grow up and work, but are also thriving areas for older adults.”
Wauwatosa has completed all the steps necessary to earn the age-friendly designation, which demonstrates its commitment to actively engage in an inclusive cycle of continuous improvement in the “8 Domains of Livability” that the World Health Organization has identified as influencing the health and quality of life of older adults.
AARP Wisconsin will present Wauwatosa with its official Age-Friendly designation during a virtual celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 1 p.m. To join the celebration at that time, visit www.facebook.com/aarpwisconsin
For information about the AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities or to help your community become an Age Friendly Designated Community, visit: www.aarp.org/livable.
