Foster City
Age-Friendly Certification Status: Achieved AARP/World Health Organization (WHO) age-friendly community designation on December 28, 2020.
Coordination and support of the Foster City Age-Friendly Community initiative to ensure continued progress and sustainability.
The first year will be devoted to making sure that everyone involved is supported in further development, planning, and implementation of the inaugural Age-Friendly Community projects that are described below.
Beyond Year 1, identifying or securing the resources and partners needed from a variety of potential sources that will support Age-Friendly efforts.
Domain: Civic Engagement and Employment
A multi-faceted plan to promote existing civic engagement and employment opportunities and develop new ones.
The first year will be devoted to recruiting a working subcommittee of interested community members. The primary goal is to identify and then implement strategies to provide a more coordinated and easier to access overview of current volunteer and employment opportunities.
The subcommittee will explore the feasibility of enhancing existing programs to fill in gaps within City senior services. Beyond Year 1, evaluate the feasibility of expanding the volunteer program beyond the City organization to network with other volunteer programs in our community and throughout the County.
Domain: Communication and Information
A multi-faceted communication and information plan about services and recreational opportunities for older adults and their families.
The first year will be devoted to identifying and then implementing strategies (as soon as feasible) to provide more coordinated and easier to access information about services and opportunities that would support Foster City’s older adult residents. Several modes currently exist such as the “Senior Expressions” newsletter produced by the City; there is an opportunity to reevaluate the use of existing resources to make them more robust and comprehensive. Outreach will also be made to non-profit and community organizations that are currently providing services of various types and support to older adults to find ways we can support them in increasing awareness of their services and for them to assist in our community and information efforts.
The second year and beyond may be dedicated to organizing and coordinating programming to bring these resources together for in-person information exchange, such as guest speakers and events in partnership with service clubs and/or other organizations.
Domain: Respect and Inclusion
A multi-faceted respect and inclusion plan for Foster City’s older adult residents will be explored and, if feasible, developed and implemented. The first year will be devoted to identifying and then implementing strategies (as soon as feasible) to address social isolation, recognition of Foster City’s accomplished elders, and identifying ways to foster greater intergenerational connection with other residents from different age groups.
The second year and beyond, may be dedicated to continually refining plans and strategies and bringing best practice strategies from other AFC cities to assess and measure the impact of our efforts on improving the livability of Foster City for their older adult residents.