What is an Age-Friendly Community?
An age-friendly community is a place where people of all ages can live, work, and thrive in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment. It promotes accessibility, safety, social engagement, and overall well-being.
An age-friendly community also ensures that the needs of older residents are fully integrated into the fabric of the community so they can remain active, independent, and connected.
Project History
AARP Network of Age-Friendly States & Communities
In June 2024, the Town of Wake Forest joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States & Communities. The Town joined the network to ensure that civic improvements benefit the very old, the very young, and everyone in between.
Through the network, the Town receives both technical assistance and shared expertise to help develop changes to support people of all ages.
With the addition of Wake Forest, the Triangle Region is well represented in the network with Wake, Durham, and Orange Counties as well as the Town of Cary and the City of Durham being current members. Not only will Wake Forest benefit from the shared resources and expertise of those areas but also from that of over 875 communities nationwide that are part of the network.
Age-Friendly Community Committee
In September 2024, Wake Forest established an Age-Friendly Community Committee. Committee members were recruited to reflect the varying ages, ethnicities, and overall demographics found in the Town of Wake Forest.
Committee members assisted in developing surveys, planning focus groups and listening sessions, reviewing information, as well as providing their own input and expertise.
The Age-Friendly program requires a “Community Needs Assessment” which was conducted from September 2024 through February 2025. The goal of the Needs Assessment is to determine to what extent the Town of Wake Forest excels at being age-friendly, and where it has opportunities to improve.
An Age-Friendly Community Survey (in both paper and digital versions) was distributed widely for three months and received more than 1,200 responses. The survey data helped identify priorities listed in this plan and areas that required additional input to develop further recommendations.
Three areas were identified as needing in-depth focus groups:
- Life for teens and tweens;
- Senior Services across a broad spectrum; and
- Caregiver support.
Survey data, focus group responses, and committee members’ input were used to formulate an Action Plan.
Along with the rest of the nation, the population in Wake Forest is aging. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2034 the nation will have more people aged 65 or older than under 18. In North Carolina, the population of individuals aged 65 and older will grow from 1.9 million to 2.8 million by 2042. In addition, the aging population is increasingly more active and independent, impacting how a city plans for and supports people as they age in place.
This demographic shift presents an opportunity for communities like Wake Forest. It has been documented that well-designed, age-friendly communities foster a strong economy and make for happier, healthier residents of all ages. Under the leadership of the Town’s elected officials, staff, and committed residents, a movement is underway to ensure that Wake Forest is not only prepared for this demographic shift but embracing it.
The Town of Wake Forest is not acting alone. The State of North Carolina is working to respond to these evolving demographics and the complex challenges they present. To that end, in 2024, the state developed the All Ages, All Stages NC Multisector Plan for Aging(MPA).
Additionally, the Town of Wake Forest applied for and was accepted into the AARP network of Age-Friendly Communities, a consortium of over 940 cities, counties and states across the country. This five-year program is designed to help cities and towns become more age-friendly through policies, programs, and general awareness. By taking advantage of the state’s MPA framework and the resources provided by the AARP Age-Friendly Community Network, the Town of Wake Forest is positioning itself to address the multifaceted needs of older adults and residents of all ages.
The Needs Assessment for the Town of Wake Forest reflects the eight domains of livability, established by the AARP. All eight domains cannot be tackled at once, however keeping all of them front and center as we make plans and prioritize where to invest resources ensures that we are always looking at the entire scope of livability in the Town.
After conducting the Needs Assessment, Domains 4, 5, and 6 were combined into one: Social Engagement. The domains are prioritized in this order:
Communication & Information
Health Services & Community Support
Transportation
Social Engagement
- Civic Participation & Employment
- Social Participation
- Respect & Social Inclusion
Outdoor Spaces
Housing