About

Background

Like many cities, Seattle’s population of older adults is growing. For several decades, Seattle’s Mayor’s Office for Senior Citizens (MOSC) operated as a direct service provider. As need increased and capacity grew at community-based organizations, the City adopted the role as a supportive partner. Age Friendly Seattle was born out of this transition and helps to operationalize a citywide commitment to supporting older adults under this new model.

The City of Seattle officially joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities in July 2016 as the 104th U.S. member. Resolution 31739 formalized the commitment of both the Mayor and City Council to become a more age-friendly city under the criteria established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities. The resolution passed unanimously and was signed on March 31, 2017. An Advocacy Coalition comprised of older adult community members and professionals working in related fields was instrumental in advancing this designation and crafting the first 2018-2021 Action Plan.

Since our launch, Age Friendly Seattle has worked interdepartmentally and with community partners on a range of efforts aimed at making our community a great place to grow up and grow old. Visit our highlights pages to see what we have accomplished so far!