Highlights
Accomplishments are listed in reverse chronological order. Reports and other materials are posted individually below and as a group on the About page (under Materials). Events listed below may also be listed in the event archives. For more information, e-mail agefriendly@seattle.gov.
Age Friendly Seattle Highlights in 2024
July
- In early July, we welcomed two Seattle Youth Employment Program interns! This is our third time participating in the program, and we are thrilled to have these students supporting Age Friendly Seattle this summer while learning about aging issues in our region.
- We launched our “Explore and Save” summer activity guides, which feature locations offering Gold and FLASH Card discounts. These guides also contain information about transportation options for getting to each venue, and we are working with Seattle’s Department of Transportation to distribute these and to use them as destinations for SDOT’s senior trip outings.
- On July 17, AFS staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting
- On July 19, we held the second convening of the Social Connectivity Learning Network which we launched in March of this year. Attendees again represented multiple different fields—including service providers, government programs, and research institutes—which is promising for potential cross-sector collaboration.
- Our July 22 Civic Coffee event was held in partnership with the Lake City Senior Center and featured panelists from Elderwise and the Greenwood Senior Center who address brain health and available resources for people experiencing cognitive decline, as well as support for families and loved ones. This event was live interpreted into Spanish, Manderin, and Cantonese.
- On July 25, we teamed up with members of the Aging and Disability Services Advisory Council to lead an anti-ageism training debrief discussion with the Seattle Planning Commission.
June
- Age Friendly Seattle staff continued to lead efforts to launch a pilot project that addresses the caregiver workforce shortage by exploring a new model for home care delivery. Staff will be presenting this work at the Washington State Association of Area Agencies on Aging convening this June.
- Age Friendly Seattle continues to roll out the anti-ageism training to COS staff and to the public. Working with Aging and Disability Services Advisory Council Members as peer ambassadors, we held a June 6 debrief session with the Seattle Disabilities Commission in June.
- Our June 10 Civic Coffee was held at the Ethiopian Community in Seattle and focused on nutrition and healthy diet. The event was live interpreted in Amharic.
- In June, we were notified that our proposal for an installation at the Seattle Design Festival had been accepted! We are doing this in partnership with the Northwest Universal Design Council and Jensen Hughes. The planning has now begun for the festival dates in mid-August.
- For several months, we have participated in a national workgroup to create a guidebook for creating age-inclusive cities. After a series of four meetings, the workgroup has produced this product and plans to share at the June Conference of Mayors convening. To inform this guide, Age Friendly Seattle shared several examples of our own efforts, including our anti-ageism training, our Civic Coffee events, our discount directory, and our social connectivity learning network. This workgroup was born out of last year’s Conference of Mayors when a resolution was passed encouraging cities to become more age-inclusive, and Seattle was selected as one of 18 cities to participate in a workgroup to help operationalize this.
- Age Friendly Seattle staff and interns continued door-to-door outreach to recruit local businesses for the Gold/FLASH Card discount directory. We also partnered with Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods’ Community Liaisons to help with these efforts, and together we recruited more than a dozen new participating organizations.
May
- We were thrilled to launch a public-facing anti-ageism training on May 1st! Created with input from community leaders, this version adapts our anti-ageism training for City of Seattle staff, which has been viewed by hundreds of city employees representing over a dozen departments. We encourage you to watch the public training and share with your networks!
- On May 15th, we held our first deep-dive webinar for the Social Connectivity Learning Network we launched in March of this year. These webinars will be held in the months between in-person convenings and focus on a topic of the group’s choosing. May’s event focused on digital equity, featuring the expert behind Seattle’s Tech Adoption Survey as well as a student from Duke University who initiated a digital navigation partnership between college students and senior centers
- On May 20th, Age Friendly Seattle staff presented to an Executive Committee of the North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA). We were invited to share the work Seattle has done as an Age Friendly city and discuss potential engagement from other cities.
- Age Friendly Seattle staff met with all staff at the Seattle Animal Shelter to lead a discussion about ageism. Animal Shelter leadership chose to make the anti-ageism training mandatory for their entire team, and we facilitated a productive debrief session during which we jointly spotted several opportunities to collaborate and strengthen supports for older community members across Seattle.
- Our May 21st Civic Coffee was held at the Ethiopian Community. in Seattle and was translated in Amharic with the support of DON’s Community Liaisons. Approximately 70 people attended the event, which focused on aging in place.
- Age Friendly staff attended Governor Inslee’s Summit on Aging and Longevity, where approximately 100 government and community leaders gathered to discuss current data trends and issues related to aging. This comes on the heels of WA State announcing its Age-Friendly and Dementia-Friendly designation. Age Friendly Seattle staff presented to the original statewide workgroup when these distinctions were first being considered and will participate in a workgroup going forward to operationalize the state’s commitment to becoming more age-friendly.
- Age Friendly Seattle staff and interns conducted door-to-door outreach this month to local businesses in the downtown area, encouraging them to join the Gold/FLASH Card discount directory.
- On May 29, Age Friendly Seattle partnered with Seattle’s Office of Community Development and Planning and the Pike Market Senior Center to host a discussion on the OneSeattle Comprehensive Plan. Over 60 people attended to learn about Seattle’s plans and to weigh in with their thoughts and feedback.
April
- In April, we finalized an Age Friendly GIS Map. This is an internal tool we built in collaboration with Seattle IT. It provides visual information about where older adults live, where they experience various socio-economic factors, where health disparities are being experienced, where traffic patters may be impacting older adults, and more. We hope this tool aides planning conducted by departments across the city and helps ensure older adults are recognized in Seattle plans and policies.
- Age Friendly Seattle staff supported the April 9th convening of the Northwest Universal Design Council, a group of community members invested in making our region more accessible to everyone through design.
- On April 15, we met with Parks and Recreation’s Lifelong Recreation team to facilitate a discussion about ageism. This post-training debrief was thoughtful and productive, highlighting a commitment to reduce ageism and create inclusive environments across programs.
- Age Friendly staff continued to lead a workgroup focused on launching a pilot to explore a model of homecare provision to better support both clients and caregivers.
- Our April 23 Civic Coffee was focused on available summer activities, and featured speakers from the Seattle Waterfront, the Seattle Center, and the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department. This event was held in partnership with the Chinese Information Services Center and was live interpreted in Manderin and Cantonese.
March
- In March, Age Friendly Seattle convened 40+ stakeholders from various sectors to kick off a learning network focused on increasing the social connectivity of older adults in our region. We launched this in partnership with staff at the Phinney Neighborhood Association / Greenwood Senior Center. Attendees included service providers, housing providers, transportation providers, academic researchers, and representatives from Seattle and King County government departments including Parks, IT, Human Services, and libraries.
- Our March 19 Civic Coffee was held in partnership with the Chinese Information Services Center and focused on how to identify accurate information, as requested by the community. This event was live interpreted in Manderin and Cantonese.
- On March 4, Age Friendly Seattle staff joined members of the Northwest Universal Design Council to talk with staff and Board Members from the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners about the potential for including accessible design as one of their funding priorities.
- On March 20, AFS staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting.
- We hosted two workshops at the American Society on Aging Conference in San Francisco the week of March 25. One featured our work on emergency preparedness in partnership with King County DHCS, and the other featured our anti-ageism training. Both workshops were well received.
February
- In February, we accepted an invitation to participate in a national workgroup to establish a national standard of “age-inclusiveness" and share best practices for advancing an age-friendly framework. This work is driven by the 2023 Conference of Mayor’s resolution to promote age-inclusive cities, and Seattle is one of 16 cities participating.
- Age Friendly Seattle staff supported the February 13th convening of the Northwest Universal Design Council, a group of community members invested in making our region more accessible to everyone through design.
- On February 19, Age Friendly Seattle staff attended the quarterly King County Mobility Coalition meeting.
- Age Friendly Seattle and Aging and Disability Services staff conducted an interview, as requested by WA State Department of Health, to help inform the development of recommendations for how WA State can adapt the Trust for America’s Health Age-Friendly Public Health System framework to address nutrition and physical activity needs of older adults with limited incomes. The interviews will inform a summary of notes and set of recommendations for the WA DOH SNAP-Ed program.
- On February 23, AFS held our monthly Civic Coffee, this time at the Ballard Senior Center with a focus on digital navigation and data protection.
January
- We published the new Age Friendly Seattle Strategic Framework online, along with a 2023 Highlights Report that features examples of our work over the past year.
- Age Friendly Seattle staff participated as a reviewer on a panel evaluating proposals for Seattle IT’s Digital Navigators grant.
- On January 17, AFS staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting
- As part of our on-going anti-ageism training roll-out, we held a post-training debrief discussion with staff from Seattle IT’s Digital Equity team on January 23.
- Our January 24th October Civic Coffee at the Wallingford Senior Center explored alternative therapies to help people stay physically and mentally healthy, including music and creative arts.
- In an effort to track Seattle’s progress towards an age-friendly city, we worked with our partners in the data team to select key indicators to monitor over time. We aim to report on these outcomes each year to promote transparency and collaboration.
Age Friendly Seattle Highlights in 2023
December
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We connected with our flagship Gold/FLASH Card partners at the Seattle Aquarium, the Woodland Park Zoo, and the Seattle Animal shelter to learn that they collectively served over 10,000 Gold/FLASH card users in 2024. This demonstrates that the program is growing, and we are committed to continuing to expand the number of participating businesses in 2024 so that people all over our city may benefit from discounts.
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Age Friendly Seattle staff supported December 12th convening of the Northwest Universal Design Council, a group of community members invested in making our region more accessible to everyone through design.
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On December 14th, Age Friendly Seattle staff presented to a group of home care agencies about the potential of a 2024 pilot project that would explore the potential of a specific model of homecare delivery.
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No Civic Coffee event was held in December. Instead, we used the time to plan ahead for events in 2024.
November
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In partnership with the Northwest Universal Design Council and the City of Redmond, Age Friendly Seattle convened a meeting of city planners, design industry professionals, and community advocates to discuss how accessibility can be incorporated into government plans and policies. We hope this is the start of an ongoing conversation on “Implementing Inclusive Design- Policy and Code."
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On November 15, AFS staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee.
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On November 16, we held a Civic Coffee at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library, featuring experts on Assistive Technologies.
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AFS staff helped draft a Transportation Request for Proposal aimed at encouraging organizations to meet the mobility needs of older adults.
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We continued to roll out our anti-ageism training to City of Seattle staff in various departments.
October
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On October 5, we talked with the Bellevue Network on Aging about the impacts of ageism, and shared information about the anti-ageism training we created for City of Seattle staff.
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Age Friendly Seattle was featured in a Seattle Times article that highlights the needs of older adults throughout Seattle’s various neighborhoods.
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On the heels of a successful District 4 Seattle City Council candidate forum in September, we hosted three additional Age Friendly candidate forums in October (recordings of the conversations in Districts 1, 3, 4, and 5 are all available on our YouTube channel). These proved to be great opportunities for community members to get to know their future elected officials and raise issues relevant to aging in our city.
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Our October Civic Coffee at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center focused on social connectivity. Panelists from SilverKite and Friends of the Waterfront shared information about their programs and the work they are doing to make Seattle more accessible and connected.
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Our proposals to present at the 2024 American Society on Aging Conference in San Francisco were accepted. We will share our work developing anti-ageism trainings as well as emergency preparedness coordination with King County.
September
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In early September, we co-presented with colleagues from Aging and Disability Services and King County Department of Human and Community Services about our year-long collaboration - part of a grant from Trust for America’s Health - that focused on senior center emergency readiness and delivery of emergency kits to residents aged 85+ who live in Seattle and King County Housing Authority buildings. Our presentation audience included emergency management and human services staff from both Seattle and King County.
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Our September Civic Coffee was held in-person at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center as well as online, allowing engagement via Zoom. Our topic was Falls Prevention, featuring panelists with nursing and OT expertise, plus a presentation by the director of the King County Falls Prevention Coalition.
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We held the first of four Seattle City Council candidate forums focused on aging issues. This event took place at the Wallingford Senior Center in District 4. Questions from the audience focused primarily on housing, public safety, and transportation.
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Age Friendly Seattle attended the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board meeting, where we serve in a non-voting member role.
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We continued to participate on the Find-A-Ride User Testing Task Force, where we support the development of an app which will help people with mobility challenges more easily find and book specialized transportation.
August
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Age Friendly teamed up with the Northwest Universal Design Council and Jensen Hughes to host a demonstration at the Seattle Design Festival Pop-Up experience at South Lake Union Park. We featured a full-scale model accessible bathroom that people could explore to learn about Universal Design features and experiment with some assistive technologies. Our team of staff and volunteers had over 700 meaningful conversations and interactions with festival goers over the weekend, and many more of the 9,000 attendees got a peak at our installation. We heard lots of personal stories from people about the importance of accessibility to them as caregivers, people with disabilities, and older adults who wish to age in place. A great reminder that universal design really does benefit us all!
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We partnered with the Senior Center of West Seattle to take a group of older adults to the acquarium using public transportation. This was a chance for folks to get familiar with transit options AND use their Gold Card for free entrance at the acquarium.
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More than 50 people attended the August 18th Civic Coffee at the South Park Senior Center, which focused on technology and older adults, including skills building and available resources. We continued to partner with the Community Liaisons, who provided interpretation in Vietnamese.
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AFS staff attended a convening held by AARP and Leading Age to discuss potential models for coordinated home care services. This forum brought together a range of stakeholders in the health, housing, and aging fields and was one of the outcomes of the Age-Friendly Housing Forums held in late 2022/early 2023.
July
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We are thrilled to launch our newly created anti-ageism training! This three-module training is now available to all City of Seattle employees. As part of our roll-out, we will be encouraging teams across disciplines to watch these trainings and join small group discussion with us to debrief what they learned and continue thinking about and engaging with this topic. Ageism harms us all, and this training is an opportunity for City employees to reflect on the ways we can advance an anti-ageist culture, both personally and professionally.
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We assembled and delivered 389 emergency kits to people aged 85 and older living in King County Housing Authority Buildings. This is part of a year-long project between Age Friendly, Aging and Disability Services, King County Dept of Human and Community Services, and WA State Dept of Health focused on emergency preparedness. Older adults are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including the extreme heat our region now experiences.
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Age Friendly Seattle supported the July 11th Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting.
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On July 22, we participated for the second time in Yes Fest, a summer celebration hosted by community partners and held at Yesler Terrace. We played interactive and education games about aging issues with this intergenerational audience, and shared helpful resources. We will continue partaking in Yes Fest events all summer.
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July 26th's Civic Coffee focused on End-of-Life Planning and was held at the South Park Senior Center. For the first time, we engaged Seattle’s Department of Neighborhood’s Community Liaison professionals to support with materials translation, live interpretation, and outreach. We look forward to furthering this successful partnership!
June
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We welcomed three new interns to the Age Friendly Seattle team. Isabella and Fathima are college students who will be with us for a full year, and MiAinjel is a high school junior who joined us through the Seattle Youth Empowerment program. We love the energy and talent these students are bringing to our team!
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On June 5th, we presented to the Bellevue Network on Aging/Kirkland Senior Council Advocacy Subcommittee, sharing our Age Friendly discount directory program. We were happy to hear that folks appreciate this program and are eager to help recruit more participating businesses!
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AFS staff attended the June 8th Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board meeting, where we serve as a non-voting member.
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We were thrilled to present to Seattle City Council’s Committee on Public Safety and Human Services on June 27. Our focus was on older adults and social isolation, and the ways in which ageism can harm us all. We highlighted the anti-ageism training we have been creating for all City of Seattle staff. You can watch our City Council presentation, or read CM Lisa Herbold’s recap of our presentation in her constituent newsletter!
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On June 28, our monthly Civic Coffee event was held at the Greenwood Senior Center, where we discussed nutrition and the values of gardening (even in small spaces). This was the first post-COVID Civic Coffee event we held entirely in-person, by community request. We continue to explore options for maintaining an online presence for those who wish to participate virtually.
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In June, Age Friendly staff attended the UW Student Capstone presentation to support the GIS mapping students who have been lending their time and knowledge to help us improve our website.
May
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In May, we submitted a proposal to the Seattle Design Festival on behalf of the Northwest Universal Design Council, Jensen Hughes Construction and Engineering Company, and Age Friendly Seattle. These three partners share a commitment to accessible design, and we hope to feature an accessible bathroom as well as lead tours through the urban environment to help illuminate some of the mobility challenges folks can face. This would be the second time that both NWUDC and Jensen Hughes have participated in the festival, though the first time as partners.
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For more than a year, AFS staff have been serving as the Human Services Department liaison to the OPCD-led interdepartmental workgroup on Seattle’s 20-year Comprehensive City Plan. In May, AFS reviewed proposed policies for their impact on older adults and other communities HSD serves, presented to and solicited input from leadership, and shared feedback with the Office of Planning and Development.
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Although our official project has concluded, staff from AFS, Aging and Disability Services, and King County DCHS continue to meet to discuss emergency preparedness for older adults. In May, we made plans to distribute nearly 400 emergency kits to older adults aged 85+ and living in housing authority buildings.
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AFS staff served as a panel reviewer for Seattle IT’s 2023 Technology Matching Fund grant applications. This is aligned with Age Friendly’s goal of pursuing digital equity across ages, and we continue to participate in the IT-convened IDT around digital equity.
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On May 24, we held our monthly Civic Coffee at the Greenwood Senior Center. By community request, the event was focused on home repair and weatherization, featuring panelists from Habitat for Humanity and Puget Sound Energy. This was our last time hosting panelists online and beaming it into a room of participants; starting in June, we will be hosting panelists in-person and sharing the recording online.
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AFS staff engaged in several transportation spaces. We participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s bi-monthly Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting and the King County Mobility Coalition’s quarterly meeting (we are a voting member of both bodies). We also continued our engagement in the One-Click/One-Call User Testing Taskforce meeting to vet a new app to help people with disabilities more easily find and book transportation, as well as continued our engagement with SDOT’s Transportation Safety Advisory Committee.
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We were thrilled to be notified this month that Age Friendly Seattle has been selected by AARP to receive technical assistance in two requested areas: missing middle housing and effective community engagement. We are looking forward to working with these AARP-supported consultants later this year!
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AFS staff are supporting the drafting of the Area Agency on Aging’s 4-year Area Plan.
April
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On April 18, Age Friendly Seattle Civic Coffee, in collaboration with the Senior Center of West Seattle, hosted a panel discussion about memory loss and how efforts from organizations (including the City of Seattle) are promoting brain health. This month’s panelists were Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1—West Seattle, South Park, Georgetown, Industrial District, SODO, and Pioneer Square); Karen Thompson, Alzheimer’s Association Washington State; and Sandy Sabersky, Elderwise. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube or read a recap on AgeWise King County.
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Older adults are disproportionately vulnerable to extreme heat, and AFS met with staff from King County Public Health and ADS to discuss how older adults can be supported in King County’s heat mitigation strategies.
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AFS continued conversations with DON and SDOT about how to create a network of neighbor volunteers that support one another’s needs including snow-shoveling.
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On April 24, AFS staff supported the second online reconvening of workgroups formed at the second Age Friendly Housing Forum. A few concrete actions have emerged, including further conversations and partnerships around how older adults can benefit from supportive health services offered in publicly funded housing, among other things.
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We continued to meet with University of Washington students who are studying GIS mapping. We are thrilled that their capstone project includes improving Age Friendly Seattle’s discount directory online user interface, and we are meeting with their team regularly throughout the semester.
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AFS joined other Aging and Disability Services staff for a conversation with ALTSA’s Home and Community Services team. This is part of advancing the Coordinated Personal Care pilot to bring supportive health services into home environments; AFS staff is project managing this initiative.
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One of our wonderful AFS interns conducted a survey of all Gold Card holders for whom we have email addresses. More than 100 people responded, providing us with valuable insight: most people who use their discount card report that it improves their social connectivity, and people would like to see more businesses added in the categories of arts, culture, and entertainment, as well as food. This has informed our outreach plans—as a start, we are happy to share that the Seattle Mariners have now listed their discount on our directory.
March
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On March 6, AFS supported an online reconvening for workgroups formed at the second Age Friendly Housing Forum in January. Workgroups included focuses on co-housing models, aging in affordable housing, and supportive health services in homes. These same groups will meet again in six weeks.
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AFS staff traveled to Richland on March 13 for a statewide Age Friendly Public Health Systems convening, where we presented to and learned from other aging and public health professionals around the state. Organized by the WA State Dept of Health, this was the culmination of a year-long project that we partnered on with ADS and King County DCHS. Our project focused specifically on emergency preparedness for older adults, and AFS staff served on the planning committee for this statewide convening.
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AFS staff participated in the bi-monthly Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) Transportation Policy Board meetings, where we serve in a non-voting membership role, as well as this body’s Special Needs Transportation Committee, where we are a voting member.
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This month, we engaged in several additional transportation-related spaces: we joined SDOT’s Transportation Access Safety Advisory Group to explore opportunities to improve the safety of older adults on public transit, and also engaged in SDOT’s interdepartmental workgroup focused on Aurora corridor redevelopment to discuss outreach to older adults in the areas. We attended the SDOT-convened Pedestrian Access Advisory Committee meeting, as well continued to participate in the One-Call/One-Click User Testing Taskforce, working to fine-tune an app to help riders more easily find and book specialized transportation.
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Partnering with Seattle Parks and Recreation, we submitted an AARP Community Challenge Grant to launch an older adult-focused lifeguard training course. While lifeguard training has historically been marketed to and accessed by younger people, many older adults are excellent swimmers who enjoy teaching lessons and providing services to their community and can help bring more intergenerational perspectives to lifeguard teams.
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On March 21, we held Civic Coffee at West Seattle’s Highpoint Neighborhood House. By community request, this event focused on personal safety and featured a speaker from Seattle Police Department. It was translated into three languages simultaneously.
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We continued to support the Northwest Universal Design Council’s monthly Steering Committee meeting.
February
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On February 8th, AFS staff presented to the King County Women’s Advisory Board to highlight the many challenges women often face as they age. This includes economic insecurity due to a lifetime of experiencing the gender pay gap and working jobs that are less likely to offer retirement benefits.
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AFS staff guest taught a University of Washington class as part of the School of Nursing’s Health Equity course. The lecture focused on ageism’s impacts on health outcomes, from systemic ageism that can lead to over- and under-diagnosing, to internalized bias that can discourage people from engaging in healthy behaviors and ultimately lead to shorter lifespans.
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Because access to transportation is an important element for older adults to maintain independence, AFS continued our participation with the King County Mobility Coalition by attending the quarterly meeting and participating in the One-Call/One-Click Advisory Committee, which aims to launch an app that improves ride-finding for people with specialized transportation needs.
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This month we continued to focus on development of an anti-ageism training that will be available to all City of Seattle staff. We aim to complete three modules of training by the end of June 2023.
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On February 22, in collaboration with Lake City Senior Center, the Age Friendly Seattle Civic Coffee discussed what access to care can look like and how different organizations are catering to the diverse needs of Seattle’s older adults. The Civic Coffee panelists who explored the relationship between older adults and healthcare were Dr. Socia Love-Thurman (aka Dr. Love), Chief Health Officer at Seattle Indian Health Board; Jeremy Edmonds, Outreach and Marketing Liaison at Providence ElderPlace PACE; and Karishama Vahora, Community Outreach Coordinator at Providence ElderPlace PACE. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube or read a recap on AgeWise King County.
January
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In early January, the Northwest Universal Design Council held its second post-COVID Happy Hour at a LightArt, a lighting and acoustic design showroom. It was great to see lots of new faces—from architects to affordable housing developers to colleagues from around the City. The noise-cancelling technology showcased has potential application to support older adults with hearing loss or dementias.
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On January 11th, AFS staff had the privilege of teaching a group of seventy-five 3rd graders about ageism. The kids were engaged and quickly understood how ageism can be harmful, and how it is pervasive in our lives. We practiced combatting ageism by reframing our thoughts and focusing on the things to look forward to in older years. It was a real treat to spend the morning with this group!
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AFS staff participated in the January 12th Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) Transportation Policy Board meetings, where we serve in a non-voting membership role, as well as this body’s Special Needs Transportation Committee on January 18th, where we are a voting member.
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On January 23, AFS again partnered with King County DCHS, AARP, and the Northwest Universal Design Council to host the second in-person Older Adults Housing Forum. This built off the successful forum in November 2022, and provided an opportunity to deepen discussions amongst participants and form workgroups based on what attendees saw as pressing issues. Workgroups included co-housing models, in-home supportive services, public housing, and resource education. Participants will be invited to reconvene in six weeks to share progress and continue collective efforts.
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Age Friendly Seattle’s Civic Coffee on January 25 highlighted the importance of financial planning and fraud protection for older adults. This panel discussion encouraged us to think about how to stretch our money by planning and protecting ourselves financially. Kay Tomlinson, a volunteer AARP Fraud Watch specialist, and John McKenney, the financial education coordinator from the Washington Office of the State Treasurer, were the panelists who explored the relationship between older adults and finances. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube or read a recap on AgeWise King County.
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AFS was happy to be included in the King County Mobility Coalition’s action planning workgroup, supporting the development of the coalition’s roadmap for the next several years. Planning will continue for the next several months.
December
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On December 6, staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee’s funding deliberation and recommendations.
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We launched a new campaign with partners at Community Boost to promote the Age Friendly Gold Card discount program through targeted Google Ads.
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Production began on the anti-ageism training modules which AFS is creating for City of Seattle employees.
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Staff are planning ahead for 2023 Civic Coffees, which will all be held at community locations around Seattle and hosted in partnership with Senior Centers and other organizations. Each event will again feature live translation in the languages spoken by the local community. We are proud and honored to have received recognition from our colleagues at the Human Services Department, which presented our team with an Innovation Award at our annual employee recognition event!
- Age Friendly Seattle is featured in the December issue of the AARP Bulletin (“Creating a Community That’s More Livable for All” in print and “Making Seattle More Livable for All” online). Notable achievements are 12,000+ views of Age Friendly Live virtual Civic Coffees and other events, including YouTube recordings, during the pandemic; a recent progress report; and work prior to the pandemic on Pike Place Market accessibility, SDOT’s Age-Friendly Street Design Toolkit, and Age Friendly’s Community Guide to Accessible Events and Meetings.
November
- On November 2, we co-hosted the in-person Age-Friendly Housing Forum: Where Will Seattle’s Older Adults Live?. Done in partnership with AARP, the Northwest Universal Design Council, and King County Department of Human and Community Services’ older adults team, this event featured 16 expert speakers who covered topics ranging from the unique housing challenges older adults face, accessibility in home design, and innovative models to support aging in place. Over 100 people attended this event held at City Hall, and it was filmed and broadcast by Seattle Channel. Click on the link to watch the recording!
- On November 12, Age Friendly Seattle helped coordinate The 2022 African American Caregivers Forum, along with the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders, Seattle Human Services, and a wide variety of community partners. This year's keynote presentation was “Black Joy Matters in Caregiver Health.” Details—including presenters and sponsors—are available under the Previous Forums link at www.agingkingcounty.org/legacyoflove.
- On November 15, Age Friendly Seattle moderated an accessibility training for the Friends of Waterfront Seattle group, with the goal of supporting the waterfront design and programming in being accessible to all people, including older adults. The Age Friendly Seattle team helped identify and recruit expert panelists for this event, and we look forward to future partnerships with this group.
- On November 15, Age Friendly Seattle attended the quarterly King County Mobility Coalition meeting. We regularly attend and participate in this coalition, as older adults identify accessible transportation as a high priority.
- On November 16, AFS staff attended the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting and heard presentations from several organizations and projects seeking funding to support transportation for people with disabilities and other special needs.
- On November 17, our monthly Civic Coffee was again held in partnership with Neighborhood House and the Seattle Housing Authority as a hybrid event with live translation happening in three languages. This month’s topic was winterization, including emergency preparedness, fall prevention, and home weatherizing. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube!
- AFS staff met with several local organizations to discuss further FLASH Card distribution (discounts for people 18-59 with disabilities). We continue to see high utilization of the recently launched online application portals, where residents can request both FLASH and Gold Cards to receive discounts around the city.
October
- For the first time, we co-hosted Civic Coffee with a community partner: Neighborhood House in the High Point neighborhood of West Seattle hosted us, and residents from the nearby SHA buildings were invited. We were proud to provide live interpretation in three languages and are excited to be exploring this new model! In honor of World Food Day, this October 20 event raised awareness about hunger and food securing in our community, especially among older adults. The discussion featured panelists from Food Network Innovations, West Seattle Food Bank, and Seattle’s Office of Sustainability and Environment Check it out on Facebook or YouTube!
- On October 24, AFS staff participated in workgroup discussion focused on the launch of an app that helps people with disabilities more easily find specialized transportation services. An early proof of concept of this app was showcased at a 2017 Age Friendly Seattle hack-a-thon, and it is exciting to see the product coming to fruition.
- On October 28, Age Friendly Seattle supported Seattle Parks and Recreation’s relaunch of the Sound Steps walking program. This free, volunteer-run program offers a range of group walks all over Seattle; it’s a great way for older adults to meet new people, exercise, and explore the city. The Sound Steps kick-off event was held at Magnuson Park and attended by approximately 150 people. It featured a resource fair, sample walks, tai chi, and other activities. We were thrilled to be a part of it!
- AFS staff continue to meet bi-weekly with King County Dept of Health and Community Services and the WA State Dept of Health as part of the Age Friendly Public Health Systems initiative we are engaging in. Our workgroup’s focus is on emergency planning and preparedness for older adults in the event of extreme weather.
September
- On September 6, AFS supported the Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These are held monthly, led by community members and industry experts, and supported by City of Seattle staff. Participation is open and can be accessed by visiting www.environmentsforall.org. September’s meeting featured a presentation by Habitat for Humanity’s CAPABLE program that aims to support aging in place.
- On September 8, Age Friendly partnered with Aging and Disability Services, AARP, Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders to host our second Congressional conversation featuring Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Adam Smith. This event focused on economic security and older adults and followed on the heels of August’s conversation with Representative Suzan DelBene addressing health issues. Catch the recording on YouTube!
- On September 15, we held our second hybrid Civic Coffee in partnership with the Seattle Public Library. Our online panel discussion was piped into a viewing room at Seattle’s Central branch where people gathered in person for real coffee and treats. This Civic Coffee shed light on art and its power to enhance quality of life and nurture overall well-being of older adults and their caregivers, featuring panelists from Frye Museum, Lake City Seniors, and Sound Generations who brought diverse perspectives and shared ways to participate in art around our city. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube!
- Age Friendly Seattle staff had the opportunity to highlight our work and successes in two spaces this month: on September 20, we presented to AARP’s state advisory council and on September 22, we presented at a statewide stakeholders meeting convened by Washington’s Department of Health.
- We published a report capturing Age Friendly Seattle’s efforts and accomplishments since the initiative began in 2016 through 2021. This period encompassed the initial five-year strategic plan, and we are now at work creating the roadmap for our next 5 years
August
- Age Friendly Seattle staff continued our collaboration with Aging and Disability Services, Public Health—Seattle & King County, and King County Department of Health and Community Services to improve emergency preparedness in extreme weather, as older adults are disproportionately impacted. This work is being done in partnership with Washington’s Department of Health and Trust for America’s Health as part of efforts to advance age-friendly public health systems.
- On August 2nd, AFS supported the Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These are held monthly, led by community members and industry experts, and supported by City of Seattle staff. Participation is open and can be accessed by visiting www.environmentsforall.org. June’s meeting featured a presentation by Richard Duncan from RL Mace, a firm specialized in promoting Universal Design.
- On August 17, we held our very first hybrid event! In partnership with the Seattle Public Library, we conducted our panel discussion online but were able to pipe it in to a viewing room at Seattle’s Central branch where people gathered in person for real coffee and treats. This Civic Coffee focused on finances and aging, featuring Donna O’Connor from Hopelink, and Kathy Van Olst and Page Ulrey from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
- At the end of June, we successfully launched the online application for Gold and FLASH cards. Within one week, we saw applications increase by 300%!
- On August 26, Age Friendly partnered with Aging and Disability Services, AARP, Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders to host our first Congressional conversation with Representative Suzan DelBene. This event focused on health care and older adults, and was followed by a second event in September featuring Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Adam Smith focused on economic security and older adults.
July
- On July 1 and July 29, Age Friendly Seattle participated for the first time ever in Yes Fest. This summer series of community celebrations in Yesler Terrace is put together by SHA, Neighborhood House, Seattle U, Bureau of Fearless Ideas, Black Farmers Collective, MultiMedia Resource and Training Institute, and Seattle Public Library. It was a great opportunity for Age Friendly to engage with older adults in Yesler Terrace and adjoining neighborhoods, as well as other service providers. The Age Friendly team speaks a multitude of languages and we were glad to be able to converse in-language with this diverse and vibrant community.
- On July 21, Age Friendly Seattle’s virtual Civic Coffee celebrated Parks and Recreation Month with a panel discussion on the history and value of Seattle’s park system and recreation activities available to older adults, including people with dementia. Panelists included Paige Denison from Sound Generations, Jennifer Ott with HistoryLink, and Tamara O’Keefe with Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Lifelong Learning program. It was moderated by Cheryl Brown, also with Lifelong Learning. Read the recap here!
- Age Friendly staff continued participation in Puget Sound Regional Council meetings related to transportation, including the Special Needs Transportation Committee.
- In a first since 2020, the Northwest Universal Design Council held an in-person Happy Hour on July 27, supported by Age Friendly Seattle staff. There was great energy and attendance from people across a range of sectors: architects, landscapers, interior designers, realtors, marketing folks, and advocates.
June
- On June 7th, Age Friendly Seattle hosted interdepartmental discussion with experts from Opticos, a firm that specializes in advancing “missing middle” housing options. Many older adults lack access to affordable housing that meets their needs as they age, and Missing Middle housing options are one potential solution to increasing the availability of affordable and accessible units.
- Also on June 7th, AFS supported the Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These are now being held monthly, led by community members and industry experts and supported by City of Seattle staff. Participation is open and can be accessed by visiting www.environmentsforall.org.
- In June, Age Friendly staff began participating in a panel review process for proposals submitted to King County for funding that would be used to address social isolation amongst older adults. Ultimately, 6 organizations were awarded funding for inspiring projects reaching diverse communities.
- On June 22, Age Friendly Seattle’s virtual Civic Coffee celebrated Brain Health Month with a panel discussion on brain health, aging, and the experiences of LGBTQ+ adults, African Americans elders, and caregivers. Panelists were Charlie Pitre Hoy-Ellis, Assistant Professor at the University of Utah School of Social Work; Karen Winston, Senior Planner with Seattle Aging and Disability Services, and Lionel Wang, Alzheimer’s Association’s support group facilitator of the LGBTQI+ support group for Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers. Watch the full show, or read the recap here!
- We welcomed several new interns in June! For the first time ever, Age Friendly Seattle participated in the Seattle Youth Empowerment program and managed two high school aged interns. We also onboarded a new college intern from the University of Washington, who will work part-time with Age Friendly Seattle for the next year. We are thrilled to have them join us and encourage this kind of intergenerational engagement in Age Friendly’s work.
May
- In early May, we kicked off our Age Friendly Business outreach campaign. Staff and interns hit the streets talking to businesses to encourage them to join the discount directory offering Gold/FLASH cards and adopt age-friendly practices for their customers and employees. Focusing on neighborhoods with high concentrations of older adults, we began our outreach in Chinatown-International District and plan to move into Bitter Lake, Northgate, and Othello in the coming months. This is our first outreach conducted to businesses since the pandemic began. Read more about this work in our AgeWise article!
- Age Friendly Seattle coordinated the vetting of a new dementia caregiver training offered by the Rosalynn Carter Dementia Caregiver Training. After assessing initial community interest, AFS funded the enrollment of 20 participants in our region. This is the first time the program is being offered in Washington.
- On May 18, AFS supported the Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These are now being held monthly, led by community members and industry experts and supported by City of Seattle staff. Participation is open and can be accessed by visiting www.environmentsforall.org.
- On May 19, Age Friendly Seattle’s virtual Civic Coffee celebrated Older Americans Month with a panel discussion on ways older adults contribute as community leaders, volunteers, workers, caregivers, and in many other capacities. Panelists were Matt King, AARP Foundation; Margaret Boddie, African American Elders Program; and Kate Harkins, Southeast Seattle Senior Center. The discussion was moderated by Mary Mitchell, Aging and Disability Services, Seattle Human Services Department. Flyer
April
- On April 5, AFS supported the second Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These will be held monthly, led by community members and industry experts and supported by City of Seattle staff.
- In anticipation of our outreach campaign to small businesses, Age Friendly staff have conducted a series of meetings with colleagues from Department of Neighborhoods, Office of Economic Development, and Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to align with various internal priorities and to better understand and serve key neighborhoods.
- Age Friendly Seattle is strengthening relationships with partners at the Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Animal Shelter, and Woodland Park Zoo. A series of conversations has helped deepen our understanding of how older adults and families use Gold and FLASH Card discounts, and sparked ideas for future collaborations.
March
- On March 31, Age Friendly Seattle’s Civic Coffee event recognized Fair Housing Month with a spotlight on Seattle’s Central District. Moderated by TraeAnna Holiday from Converge Media, the panel featured Edna Daigre, dance teacher and community activist, Rico Quirindongo, Director of Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development, Maiko Winkler-Chin, Director of Seattle’s Office of Housing, and K. Wyking Garrett, CEO of Africatown.
- On March 30, Age Friendly staff participated in the Seattle Department of Transportation’s Sidewalk Storymap beta testing. Our mutual goal is to encourage the maintenance of sidewalks so that older adults and others can safely and comfortably use them.
- On May 18, staff presented a 5-year report covering Age Friendly Seattle’s activities related to the 2017-2021 Action Plan to the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders.
- On March 15, Age Friendly Seattle staff joined colleagues in other parts of the City for a meeting with leaders from Seattle’s sister city, Nantes, France. The city of Nantes is planning to hold a conference on how cities can impact mental health, and we were invited to provide input on possible topics and approaches.
- On March 2, Age Friendly Seattle helped re-launch the Northwest Universal Design Council. This 2022 kick-off was attended by both community leaders and advocates and City of Seattle staff, with the goal of working together to advance the age- and disability-friendliness of built environments in our region.
- Age Friendly Seattle is participating in a learning collaboration with King County, funded by the Trust for America’s Health and coordinated by the WA State Department of Health. Staff met with colleagues at King County Public Health and determined emergency preparedness and coordination as a priority. AFS staff also participated in the second Age Friendly Public Health Systems Learning and Action Network Meeting.
- Age Friendly Seattle teamed up with Seattle Parks and Recreation to submit a grant proposal to relaunch the “Sound Steps” program, this time with a special emphasis on equity and inclusion. This program engages older adult volunteers to lead neighborhood walking groups that encourage exercise and facilitate social connectivity.
- Age Friendly staff continue to engage with internal and external stakeholders, including serving on Seattle’s Interdepartmental Team engaged in Comprehensive City Planning.
February
- On February 15, Age Friendly staff met with the Rosalyn Carter Organization to discuss dementia caregiver trainings. AFS has subsequently convened internal colleagues to evaluate the need for trainings and how to potentially make available to Seattle residents.
- On February 3, Age Friendly Seattle’s Civic Coffee event honored Black History Month with a spotlight on Seattle’s African Descent Communities. Moderated by Emmanuel Ndayisenga from the International Rescue Committee Seattle, the panel featured Luanda Airi from Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Faiza Hamza from the East African Senior Center, and Pamela Williams from the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders.
- AFS staff connected with Age Friendly Renton to discuss the City of Renton’s FitLot program. This helped inform an internal collaboration between Age Friendly Seattle and Seattle Parks and Recreation.
- AFS staff connected with the Age Friendly community of Puyallup to discuss the impacts of the proposed Regional Transportation Plan on older adults. Ultimately, both Puyallup and Seattle submitted comment letters with feedback; Age Friendly Seattle worked with the Department of Transportation to coordinate input and highlight aging issues within the City’s main comment letter to the Regional Transportation Policy Board.
- AFS staff connected with colleagues around the city to discuss and inform various age-friendly efforts, including Seattle’s Department of Transportation, Seattle Public Library, Department of Neighborhood, and Parks and Recreation. We also met with external stakeholders at King County and Washington State Department of Health.
- Age Friendly Seattle submitted a letter of support for a research project that would develop an Older Adult Typology of Physical Activity (OAT-PA). This typology would be a potential tool in designing programs to encourage fitness and prevent falls among older adults.
January
- On January 26, Age Friendly Seattle participated in the Washington State AARP Age Friendly Communities Quarterly meeting to network and share ideas with colleagues in other parts of the state.
- On January 13, Age Friendly Seattle staff participated in the Regional Transportation Policy Board meeting help by the Puget Sound Regional Council.
- Age Friendly staff convened a core team of subject matter experts to continue development of a three-part anti-agism training aimed at City employees.
- Age Friendly Seattle applied for technical assistance through AARP to help inform and guide efforts to advance Universal Design. This request anticipated the re-launch of the Northwest Universal Design Council in March. Our proposal was successful, and we will benefit from this expertise later in 2022.
- The January issue of AgeWise King County included an introduction to new program manager Dinah Stephens in "Advancing Age Friendly Seattle."
November
- Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored Legacy of Love, an annual forum for African American caregivers (November 13).
October
- The October issue of AgeWise included The Seattle Public Library Supports Aging in Place, an article by Seattle Public Library's Older Adults Program Manager, Nancy Slote
September
- On September 23, Irene Stewart presented Age Friendly Seattle's Community Guide to Accessible Events and Meetings as part of the "Equitable Engagement for Equitable Outcomes," a discussion salon at an AARP Livable Communities workshop. Age Friendly Live Virtual Events was featured on the two-day workshop's Materials and Resources page.
- On September 16, the Age Friendly Seattle Civic Coffee Hour featured Seattle Department of Neighborhoods director Andrés Mantilla. Facebook Live (video) | YouTube video (pending)
- Updated the Age Friendly Seattle Community Guide to Accessible Events & Meetings.
- On September 12, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored Grandparents: Love, Culture & History, a National Grandparents Day event, in collaboration with the Mayor's Council on African American Elders, Northwest African American Museum, Nu Black Arts West Theatre, Seattle Human Services Department, Aging and Disability Services, TESC Tacoma, and others.
- On September 2, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured SeaMar Community Health Clinics and upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month, with presentations by Jorge Madrazo, VP/Community Relations, and Dr. Jerry Garcia, VP/Medical Education, SeaMar Community Health Clinics. Facebook Live (video recording) | YouTube video (pending)
- Grandparents: Love, Culture & History (Human Interest Blog, 9/9/21)
- The September issue of AgeWise included:
- Age Friendly Seattle Adapts to the Virtual Environment, an article by Seattle Human Services Department intern Jody Wong
- Back to School? The Benefits of Learning Online, which includes Age Friendly Live programming
- Grandparents: Love, Culture & History, an article about the Grandparents Day event we co-sponsored
August
- On August 19, Age Friendly Seattle's Civic Coffee Hour featured Seattle Department of Transportation director Sam Zimbabwe. Facebook Live (video) | YouTube video (pending)
- On August 5, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Seattle Emergency Hubs, with Ann Forrest, chair of the North Seattle Emergency Hub. Facebook Live (video) | YouTube (video)
- The August issue of AgeWise included:
- ADS Receives National Recognition for Innovation and Achievement (including the award for Age Friendly Seattle's live online programming)
- Why Words Matter, an article by Keri Pollock, who serves on the Age Friendly Coalition for Seattle and King County
July
- On July 29, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored the MCAAE/PSARA Seattle Mayoral Candidates Forum, featuring six of the 15 invited candidates for Mayor of Seattle. None of the sponsoring organizations endorse or make recommendations. AgeWise | Facebook | Video
- On July 28, Age Friendly Seattle (Gheeda Hamam and Irene Stewart) met with representatives from the other age-friendly communities in Washington state—Renton, Tacoma, and Puyallup—in an online meeting coordinated by Amanda Frame, AARP Washington.
- On July 20, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a)—now USAging—recognized "Age Friendly Live"—Age Friendly Seattle's live and online events-with a n4a Aging Achievement Award presented to Aging and Disability Services, the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle-King County. N4a awards recognize cutting-edge approaches to support older adults, people with disabilities and their family caregivers. 2021 n4a Awards Book (Note: n4a became USAging following their national conference in July.)
- On July 15, the Age Friendly Seattle Civic Coffee Hour featured Public Health—Seattle & King County, with Shauna Clark, RN, who oversees the Long-Term Care Facility COVID-19 Response Program, and James Lewis, MD, MPH, a medical epidemiologist in the COVID-19 Heathcare Response, Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization Section. They described the structure of Public Health's teams and roles as investigators and data analysts and how they provide testing and vaccine support to medical providers. Facebook | Facebook Live (video) | YouTube
- On July 1, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Alesia Cannady, founder and executive director of Women United Seattle, who talked about kinship care—particularly grandparents raising grandchildren—and her organization's supportive services. Facebook | YouTube video
- The July issue of AgeWise included "31 Years: Are We Accessible Yet?," an article by Dick Woo, chair of the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services, that includes Age Friendly Seattle's efforts to promote accessibility.
June
- On June 17, Age Friendly Seattle's Civic Coffee Hour focused on City of Seattle programs that support LGBTQIA+ elders, with presenters Cheryl Brown (Rainbow Recreation, Lifelong Recreation Program, Seattle Parks and Recreation), Dominique Stephens (External Affairs and Outreach, Office of the Mayor), who described her experience organizing and leading the City of Seattle's contingent in the annual Seattle Pride Parade and Festival; and Kristen Ramirez (Seattle Arts & Culture), who discussed the City's involvement with The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway and Public Art Bootcamp, which explores Queer art, history and the intersectional impact of HIV/AIDS. Facebook | YouTube
- On June 3, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Pride Month, with presentations by Tom Rasmussen, AIDS Memorial Pathway; Amy Cunningham, Aging with Pride: IDEA, UW School of Social Work; and Steven Knipp, GenPRIDE. Facebook | YouTube
May
- On May 20, Age Friendly Seattle's Civic Coffee Hour focused on Older Americans Month and the local Aging Network, with Dick Woo, chair of the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services; Mary Mitchell, interim director of the Seattle Human Service Department's Aging and Disability Services division (HSD/ADS); and Andrea Yip, ADS planning manager, who presented Older Americans Month 2021 and the work of Aging and Disability Services as the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle-King County. Facebook | YouTube
- Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored Memory Sunday, an annual event in which faith communities serving people of African descent provide education on Alzheimer's: prevention, treatment, research studies, and caregiving. This year's event on Sunday, May 13, was celebrated by 20 faith communities.
- On May 6, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Aging and Disability Services Advisory Council member Diana Thompson, who is also active with the Hearing Loss Association of America—Washington; Hearing Loss Association-Washington president and Let's Loop Washington founder Cheri Perazzoli; and Dr. Brad Ingrao, an audiologist. Facebook | YouTube | Better Hearing Month in Seattle Proclamation
- Age Friendly Seattle was included in Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan's 2021 Older Americans Month in Seattle proclamation.
- The May issue of AgeWise included:
- "Communities of Strength: Staying Connected and Supporting Others," an article by Keri Pollock, who serves on the Age Friendly Coalition for Seattle and King County.
- "Age-Friendly Outreach to Immigrants Lands a National Award," an article about Age Friendly Seattle's live online programs and commitment to language access and multicultural outreach.
April
- On April 28, Age Friendly Seattle (Brent Butler, Lenny Orlov, Meg Woolfe, Gheeda Hamam, and Irene Stewart) met with representatives from the other age-friendly communities in Washington state-Renton, Tacoma, and Puyallup-in an online meeting coordinated by Amanda Frame, AARP Washington.
- On April 15, Age Friendly Seattle Coordinator Lenny Orlov and AARP Washington Associate State Director for Communications Bruce Carlson presented "Lights, Camera, Interaction! How to Engage Diverse Audiences With Video on Social Media" at the American Society on Aging's On Aging 2021 conference.
- The April 15 Civic Coffee Hour featured Emily Alvarado, director of the Seattle Office of Housing. Facebook | YouTube video (pending)
- On April 9, the American Society on Aging presented its Award for Excellence in Multicultural Aging, which recognizes high-quality, innovative programs enhancing the lives of a multicultural aging population, to Age Friendly Seattle for demonstrated success in intentional outreach to immigrant elders and innovation in meeting their language needs at live in-person and online events.
- From April 6–15, Age Friendly Seattle Coordinator Lenny Orlov's poster, "Won't You Be My SUBSCRIBER? Taking a Page Out of Mr. Rogers' Playbook for Reaching Diverse Audiences on YouTube," was on exhibit during the American Society on Aging's On Aging 2021 conference.
- On April 1, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Jay Woolford from SHAG (Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations) and Sara Sisco from Hopelink Mobility Management. Facebook | YouTube
- The April issue of AgeWise included "A Swiss Army Knife for Affordable Housing," an article by former Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, about homesharing-one of the housing options named in Moving Toward Age-Friendly Housing in King County, a report commissioned during the first year of the Age Friendly Seattle initiative.
March
- On March 12, Close to Home featured Nura Adam, executive director of the Immigrant Women's Community Center. Facebook | YouTube
- On March 1, Age Friendly Seattle published its 2020 Annual Report. Among those highlights, 6,440 people participated in Age Friendly Live events (Civic Coffee Hours, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience, and LGBTQ Health and Wellness forums, plus several special events) or viewed videorecordings of the events online.
- The March issue of AgeWise included:
- Age Friendly Seattle Increases Access and Inclusion Despite COVID, by Brent Butler, Age Friendly Seattle
-
Addressing Disability and Age Discrimination: Fighting Judgment of the Outside with Compassion for the Inside, by Sally Bagshaw, Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative (former Seattle City Council member)
- AARP Wants to Know About Your Quick-Action Community Improvement Project, by Amanda Frame, AARP Washington
February
- The Civic Coffee Hour on February18 featured Mariko Lockhart and Mike Chin, Seattle Office for Civil Rights. Facebook | YouTube
- On February 4, Close to Home recognized Black History Month with featured speaker Omari Salisbury, co-founder of Converge Media, a Central Area independent media company bringing voices and perspectives of Seattle African American community. Facebook | YouTube
January
- On January 27, Age Friendly Seattle (Brent Butler, Lenny Orlov, and Irene Stewart) met with representatives from the other age-friendly communities in Washington state—Renton, Tacoma, and Puyallup—in an online meeting coordinated by Amanda Frame, AARP Washington.
- The Civic Coffee Hour on January 21 featured Jonna Ward, CEO of The Seattle Public Library Foundation. Flyer | Facebook | YouTube
- On January 20, Irene Stewart include age-friendly communities as part of a presentation to the South End Coalition about AgeWise King County and the Area Agency on Aging.
- The January issue of AgeWise included:
- Age-Friendly Efforts Continue in a Year of Uncertainty (Christina Clem, AARP Washington)
- Exciting Changes to 'Age Friendly Live' Virtual Events (Lenny Orlov, Age Friendly Seattle)
December
- Close to Home: National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) on December 10 featured NAPCA representatives Emiko Ormsbee (Community Resource Helpline), Jenna Holzberg and Teresa Cheung (Senior Community Service Employment Program). Facebook | YouTube video
- Close to Home: Sorting Fact From Fiction: Finding Truth in an Infodemic on December 3 featured Doug Shadel from AARP Washington and Jevin West from the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public. Facebook | YouTube video
November
- The virtual Civic Coffee Hour on November 19 featured Mami Hara, General Manager of Seattle Public Utilities (SPU). Facebook | YouTube video
- On November 14, Age Friendly Seattle provided videoconference support for Legacy of Love, the 2020 African American Caregivers Forum, an annual event presented during National Family Caregivers Month. For event information, visit the Legacy of Love webpage. Facebook | YouTube video
- Close to Home: Hopelink Employment and Mobility on November 12 featured Sara Sisco (transportation) and Jim Boland (employment), both from Hopelink. Facebook | YouTube video
- Close to Home: Dignity, Hope & Healing at the End of Life on November 5 featured Dr. Jim DeMaine, ICU physician (retired), book author, and blogger (endoflifeblog.com). Facebook | YouTube video
- The November issue of AgeWise included:
- Legacy of Love: African American Caregiver Forum (Karen Winston, Aging and Disability Services)
October
- The third of three LGBTQ+2S health and wellness forums (LGBTQ+2S & BIPOC: Vaccines, Vaccination Trials and YOU) on October 30 focused on the BIPOC experience with vaccines and vaccination trials. Facebook | Flyer | AgeWise article | YouTube video
- Age Friendly Seattle welcomed Mayor Jenny Durkan at a special virtual Civic Coffee Hour on October 23. The event was recorded and broadcast by The Seattle Channel.
- Close to Home: Socially Distanced Connections at Seattle's Senior Centers on October 22 featured Katherine Jordan, South Park Senior Center, and Zoe Freeman, Pike Market Senior Center. YouTube video
- The virtual Civic Coffee Hour with Sarah Peterson and Emmanuel Ndayisenga on October 15 featured Sarah Peterson, Office of Refugee & Immigrant Assistance, WA DSHS, and Emmanuel Ndayisenga, Washington State Refugee Advisory Council and International Rescue Committee. YouTube video
- On October 8, Close to Home featured a conversation about Seattle's African-descent population with Dr. Ben Abe, African Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest, and Paul Kimani, Northwest Kenyan Community Association. Facebook | YouTube
- Close to Home on October 1 featured Darius Foster, Seattle Office of Labor Standards, and Lisa Mayfield, Aging Wisdom. YouTube video
- The October issue of AgeWise included:
- LGBTQ+2S: Vaccinations, Vaccine Trials, and You (Brent Butler, Age Friendly Seattle)
September
- Close to Home on September 24 featured Dr. Milton Curtis, King County Falls Prevention, and Dori Gillam, AgeEngaged! YouTube video
- The virtual Civic Coffee Hour with SDOT Director Sam Zimbabwe on September 17 featured Featuring Sam Zimbabwe, director of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). YouTube video
- Close to Home on September 10 featured the Seattle Department of Transportation's Vision Zero initiative (Allison Schwartz), the Northwest African American Museum (LaNesha DeBardelaben), and Grandparent's Day (Brenda Charles-Edward, Mayor's Council on African American Elders). YouTube video
- Close to Home: Celebrating R.O.O.T.S. Family Picnic on September 3 featured Paul Mitchell, William Lowe, and ROOTS, an annual celebration of African American families and history in the Pacific Northwest that started nearly 50 years ago. YouTube video
- The September issue of AgeWise included:
- Love & Community: The Ties that Bind (Karen Winston, Aging and Disability Services)
August
- Close to Home: Information, Assistance and Customer Service: How City and Community Navigate COVID-19 on August 27 featured Vance Adams from the City of Seattle's Customer Service Bureau and Stephen Lam from Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC). YouTube video
- The virtual Civic Coffee Hour on August 20 featured The Seattle Public Library City Librarian and CEO Marcellus Turner and Older Adult Program Manager Nancy Slote, Seattle Public Library. YouTube video
- Close to Home on August 13 featured Carrie Brazil, Volunteer Coordinator/Strategic Advisor, Seattle Office of Emergency Management, and Ann Forrest, Chair, North Seattle Emergency Hubs, Emergency Preparedness Educator, North Seattle College. YouTube video
- On August 11, Age Friendly Seattle supported a presentation on the Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) by Human Services Department/Aging and Disability Services division PEARLS counselors Carl Kaiser and Suzet Tave to Seattle Parks and Recreation's Lifelong Recreation Program participants and The Seattle Public Library patrons. YouTube video
- Close to Home on August 6 featured Kay Ray, AgeWise TV producer, and Tania Rzhondkovska, Client Liaison, Immigrant Assistance, St. James Cathedral. YouTube video
- The August issue of AgeWise included the following articles:
- LGBTQ+2S Resilience During the COVID Pandemic (Brent Butler, Age Friendly Seattle)
- COVID Quarantine: What's a Neighbor to Do? (Irene Stewart, Aging and Disability Services)
July
- On July 31, the second of three LGBTQ+2S health and wellness forums in 2020 was called "LGBTQ+2S Resilience: Thriving or just surviving during the COVID pandemic?" YouTube video.
- Close to Home (ADA at 30 & Geriatric Mental Health) on July 23 featured Michael Richardson, director of the Northwest ADA Center, and George Dicks, a Geriatric Mental Health Specialist at Harborview Medical Center. YouTube videorecording
- The virtual Civic Coffee Hour on July 16 featured Aging and Disability Services director Cathy Knight and ADS Advisory Council advocacy committee chair June Michel, who discussed the work of the Area Agency on Aging as well as Aging Network advocacy. YouTube
- Close to Home (Beyond Language Access: Resources for Immigrant and Refugee Elders) on July 9 featured Adam Halpern, Older Adult Services Director, Jewish Family Service, and José Manuel Vasquez Community Engagement & Programs Specialist, Seattle Office of Immigrant & Refugee Affairs. YouTube.
- Close to Home: Innovations in Dementia Support & Universal Design on July 2 featured Amy Cunningham, Research Coordinator, Aging with Pride: IDEA, UW School of Social Work, and Tom Minty, Realtor, Northwest Universal Design Council member, who is also an Aging and Disability Services Advisory Council member. YouTube.
- The July issue of AgeWise included:
- Lessons from the Past Offer Perspective for COVID Response (Brent Butler, Age Friendly Seattle)
- Kudos to 2020 Inspire Positive Aging Award Recipients (Sound Generations)
- Seattle Channel Launches "AgeWise TV" Programming
June
- One June 26, the first of three online LGBTQ+2S health and wellness panel presentations in 2020 (What have we learned from the HIV/AIDS pandemic with COVID-19?) featured a panel presentation coordinated by Age Friendly Seattle and Saying It Out Loud. YouTube
- On June 25, the first episode of AgeWise TV—a new series with curated content for older adults, including yoga instruction, art projects, and documentary films—aired on The Seattle Channel. AgeWise TV was developed by the Pike Market Senior Center as a low-tech strategy to engage older people at home during the COVID pandemic.
- Close to Home (Power of Movement: Regional Transportation and Community Fitness) on June 25 featured Donna Smith, Manager of Accessibility Services, Sound Transit, and Mark Bryant, Senior Fitness Instructor, Southeast Seattle Senior Center. YouTube video recording
- The virtual Civic Coffee Hour on June 18 featured Ginger Armbruster, Chief Privacy Officer, and William Smith, Human Resources Director, Seattle Information Technology (Seattle IT). YouTube recording
- Close to Home (Creative Aging: Radio, Recipes and Notary Services) on June 11 featured Brenda Charles-Edwards, Black Orchid Enterprises (founder/CEO), Seniors Matter (host) on Rainier Avenue Radio, and Mayor's Council on African American Elders (co-chair); and Rebecca Crichton, Northwest Center For Creative Aging (executive director).
- Close to Home (Connected City: Lifelong Recreation & Digital Workplace Champions) on June 4 featured Cheryl Brown, Lifelong Recreation Programs, Seattle Parks and Recreation and Tom Braman, SharePoint Administrator, Seattle Information Technology.
- The June issue of AgeWise included:
- Age Friendly Seattle Offers Virtual Events During COVID-19 (Irene Stewart, Aging and Disability Services)
May
- Close to Home (Connect Digitally, Stay Engaged, Prevent Scams) on May 28 featured Steven Knipp, Executive Director, GenPRIDE; and Jean Mathisen, Volunteer, AARP WA.
- The virtual Civic Coffee Hour on May 21 featured Stephanie Lucash, director of Citywide HR Planning and Innovation, Seattle Department of Human Resources, and Nancy Slote, Older Adults Program Manager, Seattle Public Library. YouTube video recording
- Close to Home (Healthy Mind, Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body) on May 14 featured Michael Woo, PhD, Community Care Network Director, Kin On; and Sheila Mary, MD, DDS, Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Candidate, Bastyr University.
- On May 14, AARP Livable Communities published Age-Friendly Seattle and King County, Washington, Respond to COVID-19--A look at how the city of Seattle and its surrounding county are serving and protecting older adults.
- Close to Home (Breathing, Movement & Library Access) on May 7 featured Cleo A. Brooks and CJ Glenn, Library Equal Access Program (LEAP), The Seattle Public Library, and Edna Daigre, community member.
- The May issue of AgeWise included:
- We May be Isolated, But We Don't Have to be Alone (Christina Clem, AARP Washington)
- Aging with Pride: IDEA Connects LGBT Older Adults with Memory Loss During COVID-19 (Karen Fredrikson Goldsen, UW School of Social Work)
- Memory Sunday Focuses on African-American Dementia Caregivers (Karen Winston, Aging and Disability Services)
April
- On April 30, the premiere of Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience ("COVID-19, Resilience & Census Access") featured Elsa Batres-Boni, Seattle Census 2020, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, and Mary Pat O'Leary, Aging and Disability Services, Seattle Human Services Department.
- Civic Coffee Hours went entirely virtual on April 16. The first Age Friendly Seattle Virtual Civic Coffee Hour featured Anne Shields, Public Health—Seattle & King County. YouTube video recording
- On April 8, AARP Washington and local leaders—including Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, Public Health--Seattle & King County director Patty Hayes, and Aging and Disability Services director Cathy Knight—co-hosted a coronavirus information tele-town hall. YouTube
- The April issue of AgeWise included:
- Adventures in Isolation: Ascending to the New Normal (Lenny Orlov, Age Friendly Seattle)
March
- A special COVID-19 edition of AgeWise King County, published mid-month, included articles that support community and health services, communication and information, and social participation:
- The regular March issue of AgeWise King County included two articles related to age-friendly communities:
- Join the 'Age Friendly' Movement (Ava Frisinger, Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services)
- Grant Opportunity Helps Communities of All Ages and Abilities (Amanda Frame, AARP Washington)
February
- Age Friendly Seattle and the Northwest Universal Design Council presented Universal Design & Pedestrian Wayfinding Forum on February 27, 2020, featuring an expert panel on designing wayfinding systems discussed ways that local government is addressing mobility needs of all. AgeWise article | Seattle Channel | YouTube-includes captions)
- The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on Thursday, Feb. 20, featured Elsa Batres-Boni, Census Strategic Advisor, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
- Age Friendly Seattle's 2019 Annual Report was completed and posted online.
November
- The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on Thursday, Nov. 14, featured Sound Transit staff Donna Smith and Alex Ko, who discussed Connect 2020-a project connecting the Eastside to existing Link light rail in downtown Seattle, with a special emphasis on accessibility. Age Friendly Minute (YouTube)
- Age Friendly Seattle promoted "Legacy of Love," the 2019 African American Caregivers Forum that took place on November 9. For more information, visit the conference webpage.
October
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Age Friendly Seattle program manager Brent Butler presented "Creating a Supportive and Inclusive Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Questioning Queer + Two Spirit (LGBTQ+2S) Community" at the national LGBTQ Health and Longevity Conference held in Seattle on October 4, 2019.
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AgeWise King County included the following articles in their October 2019 issue:
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Legacy of Love: A Unique, Culturally Focused Event for Caregivers (Age Friendly Seattle is a co-sponsor)
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Portraits and Puppetry Personalize Volunteer Experience (about a volunteer at the Klondike Gold Rush National Park in Seattle's Pioneer Square)
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September
- The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on September 26 featured Sarah Peterson, Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance, Washington State DSHS.
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Age Friendly Seattle and AARP Washington teamed up with the Seattle Sounders FC to present the first-ever Age Friendly Day at the Sounders on September 15, 2019. More than 300 tickets were purchased specific to this event.
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On September 8, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored "Hand in Hand: Honoring Our Grandparents," a Grandparents Day event at the Northwest African American Museum, with the Mayor's Council on African American Elders and AARP Washington.
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Age Friendly Seattle coordinated a lunch-and-learn called "The Affordability of Long-Term Care" on September 4, 2019 in the Seattle City Council Chamber, hosted by Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. Seattle Channel Video | YouTube Video
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The Seattle Channel produced a CityStream program called "Robocalls & Rainier Avenue," featuring interviews with local experts about robocall scams and fraud (27:46). Age Friendly Seattle provided technical assistance.
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AgeWise King County included the following articles in their September 2019 issue:
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Hand-In-Hand: Honoring Our Grandparents (Age Friendly Seattle was a co-sponsor)
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August
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on August 27, 2019 featured Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) counselors Suzet Tave and Carl Kaiser. Age Friendly Minute
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on August 15, 2019 featured Vicky Yuki and Seferiana Day from Seattle IT's Community Technology Program. Video
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AgeWise King County included the following articles in their August 2019 issue:
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Committed to Accessibility (regarding a National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (N4A) award for Age Friendly Seattle's advocacy for accessible events and meetings)
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Cheer on Seattle Sounders FC at Inaugural Age-Friendly Match
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July
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The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (N4A) presented a 2019 Aging Achievement Award to the Aging and Disability Services (a division of the Seattle Human Services Department) in recognition of Age Friendly Seattle's advocacy for accessible events and meetings. See the 2019 Award Book (page 28).
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on July 18, 2019 featured Cathy Knight, director of Aging and Disability Services, and Dick Woo, vice-chair of the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services. This event was broadcast on Facebook Live. It doubled as a public hearing for Aging and Disability Services' draft four-year Area Plan. For more information, click here. Video
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AgeWise included the following articles in their July 2019 issue:
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A Month of Celebrations, by Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services chair Ava Frisinger (recognizing Age Friendly Seattle's anniversary date)
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Summertime and the Reading is Easy, by Keri Pollock, Aging Wisdom, who serves on the Age Friendly Coalition for Seattle and King County
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June
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on June 20 featured Sheryl Shapiro and Natasha Walker from Seattle Public Utilities. YouTube
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On June 15, Aging and Disability Services communications manager Irene Stewart (formerly the Age Friendly Seattle project manager) and a representative from the Hearing Loss Association-WA presented "How to Plan and Advocate for Events that are Accessible to All" at the Hearing Loss Association of America convention in Rochester, NY. The event included free copies of Age Friendly Seattle's Community Guide to Accessible Events & Meetings.
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Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored and helped to promote Memory Sunday at area faith communities serving African Americans (June 8-9). Five faith communities participated this year, up from four in 2018.
May
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Age Friendly Seattle staffed a Northwest Universal Design Council forum called How To Plan an Accessible Event on May 30 at Seattle City Hall. Seattle Channel | YouTube | Photos
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on May 16 featured Andrés Mantilla, director of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Among the audience were Seattle residents who spoke Russian and others who spoke Amharic. Interpretation services were provided. The event was broadcast on Facebook Live, and an Age Friendly Minute was produced in advance of the event.
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AgeWise included the following articles in their May 2019 issue:
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Connecting with Others-Why That's So Important, by Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services chair Ava Frisinger (recognizing social participation, one of The 8 Domains of Livability on which age-friendly communities base their work)
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Public Forum: How to Plan an Accessible Event, by Jon Morrison Winters (includes a link to Age Friendly Seattle's Community Guide to Accessible Events & Meetings)
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April
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On April 15, Aging and Disability Services communications manager Irene Stewart (formerly the Age Friendly Seattle project manager) and AARP Washington associate state director for community outreach Amanda Frame presented "Going Age-Friendly: Creative Community Engagement Techniques" in collaboration with representatives from Age Friendly Greater Pittsburgh and Lively Pittsburgh at the American Society on Aging's 2019 Aging in America Conference in New Orleans, LA.
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Age Friendly Seattle helped staff the Northwest Universal Design Council's Happy Hour on April 25 at the Best Plumbing Showroom in north Seattle.
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on April 25 featured Ingrid Ulrey, Public Health-Seattle & King County.
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AgeWise included the following articles in their April 2019 issue:
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What's Happening @AgingKingCounty? There's An App for That!, by Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services chair Ava Frisinger (includes information about Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour videos)
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Starting April 8: Apply for Farmers Market Produce Checks (includes a quote by Seattle Human Services Department director Jason Johnson about food security supporting healthy aging in an age-friendly community)
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MySavingsJar Will Help Seattleites Save, by Age Friendly Seattle program manager Brent Butler and AARP Foundation MySavingsJar project management team members Dat Tran and LaToria Pierce
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March
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on March 21 featured Low-Acuity Alarm Program manager Jon Ehrenfeld and Vulnerable Populations Programs Lt. Kelly Pyle, Seattle Fire Department. Among the audience were about a dozen Russian-speaking residents of Seattle. Interpretation services were provided.
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AgeWise included the following articles in their April 2019 issue:
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Everyone Deserves a Home That Meets Their Needs, by Tom Minty (describes new accessibility data that will be available on the Northwest Multiple Listing Service-completing a project that was listed in the Age Friendly Seattle workplan)
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Dementia Awareness Efforts Expand Across King County, by Marigrace Becker (discusses dementia-friendly objectives in the Age Friendly Seattle Action Plan)
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OpenSidewalks Offers Community-Building Workshops for Neighborhoods, by Anat Caspi, who serves on the Age Friendly Coalition for Seattle and King County
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February
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on February 21 featured AARP Fraud Watch coordinator Jean Mathisen and Aging and Disability Services elder abuse case manager Kathi Church. From Kathi's presentation, Age Friendly Seattle prepared a one-minute video on what to do if you suspect abuse.
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The "Coffee Hour: where, what, and why?" video was produced to promote Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hours on social media and in e-mail.
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AgeWise included the following articles in their February 2019 issue:
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A Message from HSD Director Jason Johnson (calls out submittal of the Age Friendly Seattle Action Plan for 2018-2021 as a 2018 highlight)
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Heart and Brain Health: Do One New Thing for Three Weeks, by Keri Pollock, Aging Wisdom, who serves on the Age Friendly Coalition for Seattle and King County
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Home Fair for Seattle Renters and Homeowners (refers to an AARP survey conducted in 2017 on behalf of Age Friendly Seattle)
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January
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on January 17 featured Seattle Human Services Department director Jason Johnson (click here for a video recap).
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Age Friendly Seattle began videotaping events, making it possible for people who cannot attend to get more information. In addition to sharing on Facebook and Twitter, Age Friendly Seattle helped establish an Aging King County channel on YouTube.
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AgeWise included the following article in their January 2019 issue:
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Driving Companions Program: A New Transportation Solution, by Jon Morrison Winters (describes Driving Companions, a pilot volunteer transportation program that resulted from the initial roll-out of Age Friendly Seattle)
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All Year
- Age Friendly Seattle staff continues meetings with department representatives and finishing touches are being added to the Age Friendly Seattle Action Plan for 2018–2021. To comment on the plan, e-mail agefriendly@seattle.gov.
- The Age Friendly Communities Task Force met to discuss Seattle’s needs and best practices from around the country, and met on the third Friday of each month throughout 2017, supporting development of Age Friendly Seattle. More Info
December
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Age Friendly Seattle's Kitchen Table Talk on December 18 focused on transportation and community mobility, based on an article in Northwest Prime Time, "Transportation: Building Lifelong Transportation Options."
November
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Thanks to advocacy by Realtor Tom Minty, John L. Scott (who serves on the Northwest Universal Design Council and the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services) and Realtor Barry Long, Marketplace Sotheby's International Realty (who uses a wheelchair for mobility), the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) added an accessibility feature report option to its database, helping home buyers with disabilities to better identify properties that meet their needs. For more information about the "Accessibility Information Supplement," click here. This project satisfied one objective in the Age Friendly Seattle Action Plan for 2018–2021 and also earned the NWMLS a "Best Practices Award" from the Northwest Access Fund, presented on November 12.
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Age Friendly Seattle coordinated a panel presentation for the Caregiver Support Lunch-and-Learn hosted by Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw on November 28 in the Seattle City Council Chamber as part of National Family Caregivers Month. Seattle Channel | YouTube
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Age Friendly Seattle's Kitchen Table Talk on November 20 focused on Community Support & Health Services, with discussion questions based on the Northwest Prime Time Age-Friendly Discussion Groups article, "Access to Age-Friendly Community and Health Services," by Irene Stewart, communications manager for Aging and Disability Services, Seattle Human Services Department.
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on November 15 featured Dion Graham, ADA Services Administrator at King County Metro, and Michael Shaw, ADA Coordinator at Seattle Department of Transportation.
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Age Friendly Seattle program manager Brent Butler and Seattle Human Services Department/Aging and Disability Services communications manager Irene Stewart participated in the 6th Annual AARP Livable Communities National Conference on November 12–14 in Charlotte, North Carolina, as guests of AARP. Irene was invited to participate in the rapid-fire Innovation Showcase with a three-minute presentation on Age Friendly Seattle's Community Guide to Accessible Events & Meetings.
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Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored "Legacy of Love," the 2018 African American Caregiver Forum on November 10 at the Southcenter Doubletree Hotel, which was videotaped in two parts: "African American Caregivers Forum: Hope, Love, Resiliency" (Seattle Channel | YouTube) and "African American Caregivers Forum: Planning & Advocacy" (Seattle Channel | YouTube)
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On November 7, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored and helped to staff a Northwest Universal Design Council forum on Remodeling for Aging in Place. Seattle Channel | YouTube (slidedecks: Minty | Kocharhook | Cherney)
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The Age Friendly Seattle held two community coffee hours that featured the work of the Age Friendly Seattle team (November 8 at Queen Anne Community Center and November 30 at Rainier Beach Community Center).
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The November issue of AgeWise King County included:
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"Aging in Place: Getting Care That Supports the Ability to Live at Home," by Brent Butler, Age Friendly Seattle
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"Tenant Rights for Older Adults: The Basics," by Lynda Hunter, Aging and Disability Services, Seattle Human Services Department
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"Will Your Current Home Allow You to Age in Place?" by Jon Morrison Winters, Aging and Disability Services, Seattle Human Services Department
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October
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The Seattle Channel produced "Age Friendly Seattle:Living Longer, Living Well," a 30-minute program showcasing fitness, dance, nutrition, and community mobility. The video is also available with Closed Captions (click here).
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On October 30, Age Friendly Seattle presented "Librarians and Age-Friendly Communities" at the 2018 annual meeting of the Outreach Workers of Washington Libraries in Issaquah.
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Age Friendly Seattle and Age Friendly Puyallup co-presented age-friendly communities at the 2018 annual meeting of the Hearing Loss Association of America, Washington Chapter, on October 27 in Bellevue (see program information in the HLAA-WA newsletter).
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On October 19, the Age Friendly Coalition of Seattle and King County, staffed by Age Friendly Seattle, navigated Pike Place Market while documenting observations on accessibility and age-friendliness on a smartphone app. Participants were briefed on the Market’s senior center, food bank, health clinic, child care center, and resident/vendor emergency fund. In pairs, they then walked the Market using The Discovery Tool, a proprietary app developed by the Stanford Medicine Our Voice program. See also June 7, 2018, below.
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The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour on October 18 featured a presentation by Cheryl Brown, Seattle Parks and Recreation, on Lifelong Recreation, Sound Steps, Dementia-Friendly Recreation, and Rainbow Recreation.
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Age Friendly Seattle hosted a Kitchen Table Talk (virtual meeting) on civic participation on October 16. More Info
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The Age Friendly Seattle team hosted a community coffee hour at Magnuson Brig on October 16. More Info
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On October 4, Jon Morrison Winters and Portland State University Institute on Aging research associate Alan DeLaTorre presented “Senior Housing in Age-Friendly Communities” at the Housing Washington state conference in Tacoma, sharing results from the “Moving Toward Age-Friendly Housing in King County” report along with a set of strategies and policy initiatives to help respond to this hidden population and their needs.
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Also on October 4, Age Friendly Seattle program manager Brent Butler, SDOT transportation planner Lizzie Moll, and Toole Design’s Carol Kachadoorian presented “What’s Next? Making an Age-Friendly Workplan Work” at the American Planning Association/Washington Chapter conference in Spokane. They described development of the Age Friendly Seattle Action Plan for 2018–2021 and current collaboration with community members of the Age Friendly Coalition and its Transportation and Public Space Committee.
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The October issue of AgeWise King County included "Seattle and King County Make Major Investments in Senior Centers."
September
- The Kitchen Table Talk on Respect & Social Inclusion took place on September 20, 2018.
- Age Friendly Seattle's September Coffee Hour featured the City of Seattle's Customer Service Bureau and Customer Service Centers.
- The 2018 Pedestrian Potluck + Mobility Fair took place on September 18, 2018 at Alki Beach Bathhouse.
- The September issue of AgeWise King County included:
- Age Friendly Seattle Housing Initiatives Take Off
- How Many Ways Can You Get to Alki Beach? (about the Age Friendly Seattle Pedestrian Potluck)
August
- The Kitchen Table Talk on Outdoor Spaces & Buildings took place on August 21, 2018.
- The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour with Yun Pitre, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, took place August 16.
- Updated Tips for Presenters in the Age Friendly Seattle Community Guide to Accessible Events & Meetings.
- The August issue of AgeWise King County featured the following age-friendly articles:
- Momentia: The New Dementia Story, by Keri Pollock, Aging Wisdom
- Kitchen Table Talk: Outdoor Spaces & Buildings
July
- On July 12, Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw hosted Coordinated Response to Abuse, Neglect & Exploitation, a lunch and learn event, in the City Council Chamber at Seattle City Hall. The forum focused on the City's and County's coordinated response to physical, emotional, and financial abuse of elders and the needs of vulnerable older adults. Presenters included Page Ulrey and Amanda Froh, senior deputy prosecutors, Office of the King County Prosecutor; Captain Peter Ubaldi, Seattle Fire Department; Kathi Church, elder abuse case manager, and Audrey Powers, vulnerable adult case manager, Seattle Human Services Department/Aging and Disability Services. The event was televised live by The Seattle Channel. Video | Agenda | Slidedeck1 | Slidedeck2 | Slidedeck3
- Age Friendly Seattle's July 17 Kitchen Table Talk focused on social participation, one of the WHO's 8 Domains of Livability.
- The July 19 Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour featured the Age Friendly Seattle team.
- On July 24, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored and staffed a Northwest Universal Design Council forum on Designing for Special Populations. Seattle Channel | YouTube (slidedecks: Starr | Singer/Congdon)
- On July 26, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored ADA and Beyond: Celebrating the Achievements of Sue Ammeter, honoring the late Ms. Ammeter, an activist and advocate for people who are blind, and marking the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The event featured a panel discussion on independence, with diverse perspectives from people who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind.
- The July issue of AgeWise King County featured the following articles:
- How to Plan an Age- and Disability-Friendly Event
- Designing for Special Populations Forum on July 24 (Northwest Universal Design Council is staffed by the Age Friendly Seattle team)
June
- A Kitchen Table Talk on Communication & Information was held on June 26. Flyer | Facebook event page
- Coffee Hour: King County Metro Transit Instruction Program (June 21, 2018 at The Central Building)
- Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Seattle City Council proclaimed June 15 as Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Seattle. June 15 is also World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Seattle Channel video coverage is available here (click on Presentations or scroll to 3:00).
- The Age Friendly Coalition meeting on June 15 featured a presentation by Mary Snodgrass, Public Health—Seattle & King County, on the social determinants of health, including racism and trauma at any time during the lifespan.
- Age Friendly Seattle helped to promote Memory Sunday, which provided education on Alzheimer's prevention, treatment, research studies, and caregiving to four local local African American congregations.
- On June 7, Age Friendly Seattle program manager Brent Butler and Aging and Disability Services communications manager Irene Stewart presented Age Friendly Seattle to 35 local, state, and national AARP directors at Cedarbrook Lodge, all of them experts in livable communities, and then travelled with them on an "age-friendly adventure" in downtown Seattle that included:
- Pike Place Market: Following a briefing by Pike Place Market Preservation & Development Authority and Pike Place Market Foundation representatives about the market's history and unique combination of social and health services, Brent and Irene led small groups through a walking tour while using The Discovery Tool, a walkability app created by Stanford Medicine that helps to maps walkability and age-friendly amenities or lack thereof. A report is forthcoming.
- The Spheres: The group participated in a tour of the Amazon Spheres and discussed the evolution of work and personal relaxation space.
- The June issue of AgeWise King County featured:
May
- On May 31, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored and staffed the WATAP training on Assistive Technology Tools and Creative DIY Solutions to Support Older Adults and People with Disabilities.
- On May 23, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored Stress-free Aging: Planning for Health & Long-Term Care, a half-day forum with presentations on end-of-life planning and life planning for retirement and a resource fair.
- The May 17 Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour featured Dr. Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, Generations Aging with Pride.
- Age Friendly Seattle collaborated with AARP Washington, King County Library System, Aging and Disability Services, and Northwest Prime Time News to launch Kitchen Table Talks, a series of eight open conference calls focused on The 8 Domains of Livability. The inaugural talk on May 15 featured Housing: AARP Age-Friendly Discussion Group Facebook page (click here) and event page | Questions & Guidelines | Slidedeck
- Age Friendly Seattle coordinated Engage at Every Age: An Older Americans Month Forum on Social & Civic Engagement at Mirabella Seattle, hosted by Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw (5/4/18): Video | Age Friendly Seattle Slidedeck | Lifelong Recreation Slidedeck | Community Resource Hub Link
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AgeWise King County published "Age Friendly Seattle Team on Board." More Info
April
- Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored and participated in "Age Friendly City: Care. Community. Vision. For All."—a Pecha Kucha night at The Seattle Public Library. Flyer | Video
- Age Friendly Seattle presented "How to Plan Events that are Accessible to All" to the Healthy Aging Partnership (4/24/18). Materials: Guide | Top 10 Tips | Communication Access for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing | Accessibility and Accommodation Notice
- Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored "Out Lives, Our Choices: End-of-Life Planning" with the Mayor's Council on African American Elders (4/19/18). More Info
- The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour focus was on Sound Generations volunteer programs (4/19/18).
- The Seattle Human Services Department celebrated the success of 2017 Innovation Fund award winners, seven of which completed projects that supported healthy aging and at least one of The 8 Domains of Livability promoted by Age Friendly Seattle (4/13/18). Invitation | Article
- The community-based Age Friendly Task Force changed its name to Age Friendly Coalition.
- AgeWise King County published "Celebrating Human Services Innovation and Healthy Aging." More Info
March
- Age Friendly Seattle presented "How to Plan Events that are Accessible to All" at the American Society on Aging's 2018 Aging in America conference in San Francisco (3/28/18). Materials: Guide | Top 10 Tips | Communication Access for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing | Accessibility and Accommodation Notice
- Age Friendly Seattle facilitated a roundtable discussion on planning accessible events and meetings at Aging and Disability Services' Professional Development Day (3/22/18), using materials listed above.
- Age Friendly Seattle produced "Meeting the Needs of People with disAbilities: Community Guide to Accessible Events & Meetings." PDF (28 pages)
- The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour focus was on Seattle Animal Shelter (3/15/18). More Info
- AgeWise King County published:
February
- Published "Moving Toward Age-Friendly Housing in King County," a report commissioned by the City of Seattle Human Services Department in partnership with City of Seattle Office of Housing and King County.
- Published "Age-Friendly Housing Plan Stakeholder Involvement Summary," a report from consultant Pamela Piering that summarizes community involvement in the age-friendly housing report linked above.
- The Age Friendly Communities Task Force proposes a new name and branding.
- The Age Friendly Seattle Coffee Hour focus was on The Seattle Public Library LEAP/Library Equal Access Program (2/15/18).
January
- The Age Friendly Communities Task Force formed three committees that will support implementation of specific Age Friendly Seattle actions. All meetings are open table. See the Events page for more information.
- Active Transportation & Outdoor Spaces
- Social and Civic Participation
- Outreach, Advocacy & Communications
All Year
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The Age Friendly Communities Task Force met to discuss Seattle’s needs and best practices from around the country, and met on the third Friday of each month throughout 2017, supporting development of Age Friendly Seattle. More Info
- SDOT drafted the Street Design Toolkit for Age-Friendly Neighborhoods to guide design of supportive street and public realm elements to foster all-age communities and aging in place.
- Age Friendly Seattle promoted Community Living Connections, the City’s “no wrong door” referral for information about aging and disability issues, across City departments. More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle maintained an active website, social media (Facebook and Twitter), and listserv.
December
- The Seattle City Council passed Transportation Equity Program Resolution 31773, committing SDOT to provide safe, environmentally sustainable, accessible, and affordable transportation options that support communities of color, low-income communities, immigrant and refugee communities, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, LGTBQ people, women and girls, youth, and seniors to thrive in place in vibrant and healthy communities, and eliminate or mitigate racial disparities and the effects of displacement.
- The Age Friendly Task Force focused attention on development of the Age Friendly Seattle Action Plan for 2018–2021 and, at year-end, was restructuring to support plan implementation and regional promotion of age-friendly communities.
- AgeWise King County published two articles related to age-friendly communities:
November
- Age Friendly Seattle and a community-based planning team presented “Engaging Aging,” a forum focused on women and optimal aging at Seattle City Hall, attended by 200 people of all ages, mostly women. Program | Photos | Video | Report
- Age Friendly Seattle collaborated with the King County Assessor’s Office to promote enrollment in the state property tax savings programs for low-income older homeowners and homeowners with disabilities, which can save participants hundreds of dollars every year, distributing approximately 2,000 program booklets. More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle staff were hosted by AARP at their annual Livable Communities National Conference in Dallas, Texas, sharing strategies, best practices, and innovative ideas about age-friendly communities (November 14–16). More Info
- Human Services Department staff participated in a meeting with representatives from the Seoul 50+ Foundation, a new organization seeking to engage South Korean older adults in meaningful civic engagement and employment, hosted by Gen2Gen Seattle.
- AgeWise King County published “Survey Says! Seattle’s Older Residents Rank the City on Age-Friendly Factors,” an article by Christina Clem, AARP Washington. More Info
- The Seattle City Council passed the 2018 City Budget, allowing for the creation of an Age Friendly Seattle team charged with coordinating with all other City departments in making Seattle a better place to grow up and grow old. Through the Age Friendly Seattle Office, the Seattle Human Services Department will shift its investments from small-scale direct services with limited impact to broad-scale system change, leading implementation, oversight, and evaluation of an action plan to increase racial equity, reduce displacement, increase social participation, and raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities that accompany Seattle’s aging population.
October
- Age Friendly Seattle presented to the King County Elder Abuse Council (October 10).
- Age Friendly Seattle supported AARP and Age Friendly Communities Task Force in promoting the Seattle for All Ages mayoral candidates debate at KOMO News 4 (October 10). More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle accompanied SDOT director Scott Kubly and staff on a walking audit with residents of Elizabeth James House (October 16)
- Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored an African American Caregivers Forum (October 21). More Info
- Seattle Department of Transportation facilitated the first meeting of a new Pedestrian Access Advisory Committee to help address accessibility issues. More Info
- AgeWise King County published four stories related to age-friendly communities:
- “Seattle Human Services Department Supports Age Friendly Community Projects” More Info
- “A City for All—Civic Technology Hackathon Results” More Info
- “Engaging Aging” Forum to Focus on Women, Equity, and Optimal Aging” More Info
- “The Art and Joy of Being a Late Bloomer,” by Age Friendly Task Force member Dolores Rossman. More Info
September
- Age Friendly Seattle, Seattle Department of Transportation, and Seattle Parks and Recreation coordinated a Pedestrian Potluck to bring Parks’ Sound Steps walkers and the public together with the SDOT Vision Zero, sidewalk assessment project, and other pedestrian and transit option programs (September 20). More Info
- Seattle IT presented Age Friendly Seattle’s “A City for All” civic technology hackathon in a three-day event at Seattle City Hall, attracting 78 people, including nine project teams that presented projects to a panel of judges from the City of Seattle, AARP, Impact Hub Seattle, Microsoft, Socrata, and Tableau (September 22–24). Video (Seattle Channel) | Hosting an Age-Friendly Hackathon (AARP, includes AARP video footage)
- Age Friendly Seattle project manager presented “Social Media Advocacy for Older Adults” to the State Council on Aging (September 26). More Info
- AgeWise King County published two articles related to age-friendly communities:
August
- AARP completed a major survey of Seattle residents age 45+ to assess the city’s age-friendliness, providing data for the Age Friendly Seattle Action Plan. Seattle was one of only 14 cities to receive this service in 2017. More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle project manager was quoted in an International Examiner article, “As King County elderly population increases, API elders face unique challenges” (August 28).
July
- Age Friendly Seattle convened a community-based team to plan a women’s equity forum in November (July 11). The planning team met every other week throughout summer and fall. More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle and multiple departments participated in the Find It, Fix It community walk on First Hill (July 11).
- Age Friendly Seattle met with Market to MOHAI, one of several pedestrian corridor projects planned for downtown Seattle, to suggest age- and disability-friendly enhancements (June and July). More Info
- AgeWise King County published three articles related to age-friendly communities:
June
- Age Friendly Seattle and a community-based planning team presented “Aging the LGBTQ Way: A Forum on Equity, Respect & Inclusion” at Seattle City Hall. The all-day forum was attended by 130 community members (June 3). Video | Report
- Utility Discount Program eligibility rules were changed to allow Social Security recipients to deduct Medicare Part B premium payments from their gross income calculation, allowing several thousand households that were previously slightly over-income the enroll in the savings program. More Info
- Human Services Department accepted proposals for Innovation Fund projects, a new fund intended to test new ideas with the focus on results and racial equity related to one of the department’s impact areas, including funds designated to promote healthy aging and address one or more Age Friendly Seattle goal. More Info
- AgeWise King County published two articles related to age-friendly communities:
May
- Age Friendly Seattle staff participated in Seattle Town Hall events featuring Dr. Bill Thomas, an international authority on geriatric medicine and elder care (April 12 and May 3).
- Age Friendly Seattle staff supported the Human Services Department’s Aging and Disability Services division in presenting “Care Transitions: We’re All In It Together,” a conference that drew 300 health care and human services providers from around the region. Presentations on age-friendly topics included Age-Related Hearing Loss: Innovated changes in Practice and Policy; Health Care & Housing: Partners in Healthy Aging; An Intimate Look at Aging; and Teaching Effectively: Considerations When Teaching Older Adults. More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle and AARP presented the initiative to the Machinists 751 Retirement Club, along with a proclamation about Older Americans Month in Seattle (May 15). More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle accompanied the Mayor to Lake City Seniors to talk with program participants about age-friendly communities (May 24). More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle and multiple departments participated in the Find It, Fix It community walk in Highland Park (May 25).
- Seattle Department of Transportation developed an additional “age-friendly” scoring factor for its Pedestrian Master Plan Implementation Plan, shifting project prioritization based on the percent population age 64+ (by census block group) and quarter-mile proximity to congregate meal sites, senior centers, and health care facilities. More Info
- AgeWise King County published four articles related to age-friendly communities:
April
- Seattle Human Services’ Aging and Disability Services division engaged WSU Metro Center to update an assessment and analysis of current and future senior housing and in-home service needs in Seattle-King County, with new evaluation of LGBTQ housing needs, and recommend strategies that will allow more older adults to age in the home and community of their choosing. More Info
- Senior Coffee Hour focused on Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Lifelong Recreation and Sound Steps programs (April 20). More Info
- AgeWise King County published three articles related to age-friendly communities:
March
- The AIDS Healthcare Foundation provided funding for three Age Friendly Seattle events, including “HIV is Ageless,” an intimate look at HIV/AIDS among African American adults age 50+ (March 11) and two equity forums held later in the year.
- Age Friendly Seattle collaborated with Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Department of Neighborhoods, and Seattle Housing Authority to host a luncheon and listening session with immigrant/refugee elders at NewHolly (March 14). Eight languages were represented. More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle project manager presented best practices in age-friendly print and digital communications in a poster session at the Aging in America conference in Chicago, IL (March 22). More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle convened a meeting of LGBTQ community leaders to plan an LGBTQ elders equity forum (March 29). The planning team met every other week throughout the spring. More Info
- Seattle City Council unanimously passed and the Mayor signed Resolution 31739, officially launching the Age Friendly Seattle initiative (March 31). More Info
- Senior Coffee Hour focused on Vision Zero, the Seattle Department of Transportation’s effort to reduce collisions and save lives through street designs that prioritize safety, public education and engagement, and targeted enforcement (March 16). More Info
- AgeWise King County published “Making Seattle’s Streets Safer for Everyone.” More Info
February
- The Seattle Human Services Department created and filled a temporary program manager position to launch Age Friendly Seattle and facilitate development of an Age Friendly Seattle Action Plan for 2018–2021. More Info
- Age Friendly Seattle produced preliminary materials. More Info
- Senior Coffee Hour focused on Age Friendly Seattle initiative (February 16). More Info
- Seattle Human Services Department Aging and Disability Services division staff participated in the Central Area Seniors Reception for Black History Month (February 27). More Info
- AgeWise King County published “Age-Friendly Communities: Civic Participation.” More Info