LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Multiple organizations are partnering in Louisville to make the city more age-friendly. The AARP, University of Louisville Trager Institute, Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency and Louisville Metro Government are working together to make the city a place for all ages.
The World Health Organization has a global network of age-friendly cities and AARP is helping to implement them here in the U.S. In 2016 Louisville became the 120th member of the AARP network.
The WHO lists eight friendly areas that communities need to have to benefit people of all ages. Louisville has work groups for three of the areas, including housing outdoor enhancement and social inclusion.
The goal of Age Friendly Louisville is to be make the city a friendly place to live for all generations.
“Our motto [is] from stroller to walker,” said Rita Morrow. Morrow has been a volunteer for the initiative since it began in Louisville in 2016.
“The idea of giving back is important to me. I had many years as a with a career, and when I retired, I was not going to just do nothing, but I was able to give back,” she said.
Improving Louisville’s housing, social inclusion and outdoors are among their goals. AARP’s Fitlot, built in 2020 in Chickasaw Park, is just one example of their intergenerational outdoor enhancements to make the park equipment more inclusive.
“It is for people of any age, not just AARP. If you look at other places inside the park, there’s swings and slides and tennis courts, so we are covering the gamut and making this a friendly place,” she said.
Age-friendly Louisville kicked off the second phase of their work last month. The new phase will include ideas from new volunteers and feedback from the community.
“We went back out to the community to find out things that are important to people in the community and we are including those in our goals for phase two,” Murrow said.
AARP said as people think about where they want to live, work, and play, they want Louisville to be at the top of the list.
“You need to have housing that feels comfortable and safe and safe. You need to have places to work. You need to have community engagement. So all of these things make a community livable and age friendly and we want to make sure that Louisville is right in there,” said Tihisha Rawlins, associate state director of advocacy and outreach for AARP.
Workshops for Agre Friendly Louisville’s phase two start this week and all are welcome to attend.
“There is something productive and educational for all ages between these generations and every generation can learn from each other,” said Murrow.
AARP said they think there will be a third and fourth phase of the initiative in Louisville.
Kentucky also has age-friendly network communities in Bowling Green, Daviess County, Lexington, Owensboro and Woodford County.
AARP also offers community challenge grant to nonprofits and government organizations to perform quick projects that will benefit the community. AARP is accepting applications for grants from now until March 6, 2023.