Age-Friendly Auburn Hills

Leadership

The initiative is led by Karen Adcock, Auburn Hills’ Director of Senior Services and Steve Cohen, Director of Community Development. Together, Cohen and Adcock are responsible for overall operations of the project. In addition to serving as liaisons to City Council, City Manager’s office, City Planning Commission, AARP, WHO, and the community, they will work closely with a leadership advisory team. This team includes community partners, community advisory volunteers, supporting community members and city department stakeholders.

Action Plan Development

The Age-Friendly Action Plan is a guide that identifies action items for the city to achieve over a period of three years. The development of this plan allowed residents to share their thoughts with city government and discuss about what Auburn Hills does well and what we should make a priority for the future.

This Action plan was created from several interactions with older residents, including:

• Seven Community Conversations (spring 2014)
• Survey of Auburn Hills residents – Ages 50 or older (Sep. 2014)
• Five focus groups (fall 2013- fall 2014)
• Business Roundtable with local business and nonprofits that interact with older residents (Jan. 2015)
• Three Age-Friendly Auburn Hills Action Plan Development Committee Meetings (Feb. 2015 –March 2015)

These community engagement opportunities were selected in an effort to give seniors, and businesses or nonprofits that interact with seniors, a chance to participate and give their feedback on improvements the city could make. Through these events, the community identified 20 action items along with steps, resources, obstacles, solutions, possible partners, a timeframe, and indicators of success.

The action plan categorizes the 20 action items into seven domains of livability that impact the quality of life for Auburn Hills’ residents of all ages.

• Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
• Transportation
• Housing
• Community Health Services
• Social Activities
• Volunteer and Civic Engagement
• Communication and Information

Media Coverage

• Aging in Place: Is Michigan Ready? – MML’s The Review(goes to new website)
• Creating an Age-Friendly Community – The AARP Bulletin(goes to new website)(opens in a new tab)
• Let the Quest Begin! – Developing Thoughts Blog(goes to new website)(opens in a new tab)
• Auburn Hills' Community Center and Age-Friendly Work Celebrated on Cover of Statewide Municipal Magazine – Bloomfield Patch(goes to new website)
• The Oakland Press(goes to new website)(opens in a new tab)
• Age-friendly, plug-in ready neighborhood planned for Auburn Hills – MetroModeMedia