Dear Friends,
I am pleased to announce the Age Matters Initiative web page. This is a visual step towards the commitments we are making to improve the quality of life for the people of Denver and provide our seniors with the dignity and respect they have earned.
We aim to make Denver the best city to be and grow older. The Age Matters Initiative is moving forward with an ambitious blueprint to create age-friendly communities by focusing on housing, transportation, health and wellness, workforce opportunities, lifelong learning, public engagement and volunteering. The Mission of the Age Matters Initiative is to create and implement a strategic plan which will demonstrate how a major metropolitan city can efficiently, effectively and comprehensively build on the strengths and address the needs of an aging population.
Together, we can make Denver a great place for people of all ages and abilities to live, work, play and contribute.
I hope you will use the many and varied resources made available through this web page.
Sincerely,
John W. Hickenlooper
Mayor
“Conventional wisdom says that scaling social innovation starts with strengthening internal management capabilities…however,… real social change happens when organizations go outside their own walls and find creative ways to enlist the help of others” Heather McLeod Grant & Leslie R. Crutchfield
Mission Statement
The Mission of the Age Matters Initiative is to develop and implement a strategic, sustainable plan where the City and County of Denver can use available resources creatively, efficiently, effectively and comprehensively to build on the strengths and address the needs of a rapidly aging population.
Strategic Goals
· To make Denver the Best City in America to be and grow older.
· To increase the visibility and awareness of aging issues for the Denver community by promoting positive concepts of aging.
· To increase awareness amongst all population sectors, including children and youth, so that these sectors will begin to age well; recognizing that the fastest growing population are those persons who are 85 years and older.
Guiding Principles
· Create a horizontal strategic plan across City Departments which builds infrastructure, coordinates and streamlines City resources to support healthy aging for all employees and the customers they serve.
· Develop collaborative partnerships with every sector of society - - government, community organizations, business, nonprofits, foundations and the public- - to work outside our boundaries, maximize program development, and avoid duplication of efforts in order to make large social change.
· Promote policies which will tend to make Denver a great place to live especially our elders.
· Encourage healthy aging behaviors for all ages and abilities.
· Support opportunities for older adults to participate in civic, cultural, educational and voluntary engagement to prevent isolation and increase interaction among the generations.
· Address workforce challenges by supporting innovative collaborative strategies which encourage department heads to establish new recruitment, retention, retraining and hiring policies for workers of all ages and abilities.
· On an ongoing basis, encourage employees, especially young employees, newly hired employees and pre-baby boomers to plan for retirement, address probate and estate planning issues and become financially literate.
· With the collaboration of the eight (8) Commissions of the Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations, create intergenerational and cross-cultural alliances.