RESEARCH TO OPTIMIZE THE ACTION AND IMPACT OF LOCAL AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY EFFORTS - Symposium Session 4130 - Abstract

Sep 29, 2026

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The symposium investigates how local-level age-friendly community (AFC) action and impact are generated through diverse methods, capturing AFC leaders’ experiences across varied settings. One study examines the role of mobility managers in Ohio to advance transportation alternatives, emphasizing training, education, regional planning, and inter-organizational collaboration. Another survey of municipal leaders finds age-friendly action stalled at the municipal level, especially in suburban and rural contexts. Additional work uses interviews with older adults and a cross-country project to build an AFC impact assessment tool.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

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Abstract overview

Ohio transportation alternatives and AFC progress

Municipal planning and built environment findings

Older adults’ developmental strengths

Cross-country assessment tool for AFC spillover impacts

494 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 SESSION 4130 (SYMPOSIUM) Abstract citation ID: igaf122.1691 RESEARCH TO OPTIMIZE THE ACTION AND IMPACT OF LOCAL AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY EFFORTS Chair: Mildred Warner Co-Chair: Natalie Pope Discussant: Bill Armbruster This symposium features four empirical studies that explore how local-level age-friendly community (AFC) action and impact are created using a range of methodological approaches to understand the experiences and perspectives of AFC leaders across diverse settings. The first two papers use survey methods, with one focused on examining the role of mobility managers for advancing transportation alternatives as part of AFC progress in Ohio. Results highlight the importance of training and education, regional planning, and inter-organizational collaboration to amplify impact. The second paper presents findings from a survey of municipal leaders across the country regarding planning, the built environment, and services. Findings indicate age-friendly action is stalled at the municipal level, suggesting that more attention to challenges faced in suburban and rural environments is needed. The third paper presents a study based on qualitative interviews with older adults across four states to identify the developmental strengths they leverage to advance local age-friendly implementation. Findings highlight assets such as their long-standing community relationships, personal experiences of aging, and relevant professional skills. The fourth paper showcases a project that engaged AFC initiative leaders across multiple countries to create a novel assessment tool to measure the impact of AFC initiatives in terms of “spillover” or unexpected positive outcomes from local AFC efforts. Discussant remarks will expand on the importance of promoting age-friendly praxis wherein knowledge (production) and practice dynamically advance insights into the contexts, facilitators, processes, and outcomes of local-level age-friendly work to strengthen the movement in the U.S. and worldwide.

FAQs

What research approaches does the symposium use to study age-friendly community (AFC) efforts?

It includes four empirical studies using survey methods and qualitative interviews, plus a cross-country initiative focused on creating an assessment tool.

What does the Ohio study emphasize for improving AFC transportation alternatives?

It highlights the importance of training and education, regional planning, and inter-organizational collaboration to amplify impact.

How do the findings describe progress at the municipal level?

They indicate that age-friendly action is stalled at the municipal level, with a need for greater focus on challenges in suburban and rural environments.

What is the purpose of the cross-country project and its assessment tool?

It develops a novel tool to measure AFC initiative impact, including “spillover” or unexpected positive outcomes from local AFC efforts.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by nayy☆