Highlights

Age Friendly Seattle Highlights in 2024

December

• For the past year, AFS staff have been managing a pilot project to explore effective ways of delivering in-home care services to older adults in our region. In December, this pilot wrapped up and we look forward to analyzing results and reflecting on lessons learned in the new year.
• In lieu of hosting a Civic Coffee event in December, we took time to map out the 2025 event schedule and locations, so we’ll be ready to kick off a successful year ahead.
• As the year closes, we were proud to note the increase in utilization of our Age Friendly discount program: in 2024 alone, we processed 6,000 online applications from older adults in our region and distributed an additional 10,000 membership cards to partner organizations for dissemination.
• The Mayor’s Council on African American Elders, which Age Friendly Seattle staff support, hosted a holiday party were members invited community members and friends to share about the work they have been doing and recruit new members.

November

• On Nov. 2, Age Friendly Seattle supported the African American Caregivers Forum: Legacy of Love. This year’s forum had a special focus on memory care, featuring presentations from keynote speaker Beverly Kimmons from the Alzheimer’s Association Washington Chapter and Cydney Barnes, Owner and CEO of Live to Leave Your Legacy. Additionally, David Wild joined us for a screening and Q&A of his short film "Today Was a Good Day". We had a wonderful time connecting and honoring African American caregivers in our community.
• On Nov. 6, we presented an overview of Age Friendly Seattle’s mission & programs for the University District/Ballard Lions Club at their monthly meeting.
• On Nov. 12, we hosted an hour-long anti-ageism training discussion with students at Highline Community College’s Adulthood & Aging class. It was an opportunity to hear feedback from a multi-generational group about the content of our health-focused anti-ageism training in development, and to learn about the impacts of ageism in students’ lives and communities.
• We conducted door-to-door outreach to businesses in the Central District and in Beacon Hill, successfully encouraging several to join the Age Friendly discount directory.
• On Nov. 21, Civic Coffee was held at Neighborhood House High Point, featuring a panel discussion on transportation options for older adults in Seattle. We were joined by panelists ‘Ohu Kane and Sandy Pham from the Mobility Management team at Hopelink, as well as Lillya Shiktel from the City of Seattle. During the discussion and Q&A session, they explored various subsidized and personalized transportation options available to help older adults navigate Seattle more easily. Read the recap article in AgeWise King County.

October

• We hosted a viewing and discussion of our anti-ageism training with the Seattle Management Association (SMA), a city-wide employee group seeking to be more effective community leaders.  It was a chance to explore awareness around ageism and highlight inter-generational teams and interactions as two key solutions for becoming a more age-inclusive workplace and society.
• This month, our door-to-door business outreach focused on the White Center neighborhood of West Seattle. This involves staff, interns, and community liaisons visiting businesses in person and encouraging them to voluntarily join the Age Friendly discount directory—and we are almost always met with positive responses. Big shout-out to all the Seattle businesses that are going above and beyond to make our city a welcoming and more affordable place for older adults!
• On Oct. 24, Civic Coffee took place at Neighborhood House High Point, focusing on Medicare. Sam Stones from Solid Ground conducted an informative presentation where he provided tips for making changes to Medicare plans, as well as resources to help with the process, followed by a Q&A session. This event was live interpreted in Vietnamese, Somali, and Khmer.
• We submitted a proposal to include questions about loneliness and isolation on the WA State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire, and this month we were notified that it was successful! Age Friendly Seattle spearheaded this effort in partnership with the Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Washington Assistive Technologies Act Program; Washington State Department of Health, Executive Office of Public Affairs and Equity; Washington State Department of Social and Community Services, Aging and Long-Term Support Administration; and the King County Department of Human and Community Services

September

• Age Friendly Seattle is excited about our new role in supporting the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders. For decades, this council has been advocating for the needs of Black older adults in Seattle. As of September 2024, AFS staff will serve as official liaison for this council and will be more directly involved in supporting its needs and goals.
• Age Friendly Seattle sponsored the Grandparents Day celebration on Sunday, Sept. 8, a joyful intergenerational celebration that honors the vital role of grandparents and elders in our community.
• On Sept. 17, we hosted the second deep-dive webinar for the Social Connectivity Learning Network. Dr. Kiffer Card delivered an insightful presentation on Social Prescribing, offering our network a valuable opportunity to explore its applications and the benefits it provides.
• We teamed up with the Seattle Animal Shelter to host a photoshoot featuring older adults and pets. Together, we produced imagery that is inclusive of older people and will help promote pet adoption—one tactic for reducing loneliness. With cuddly photo subjects, it was no surprise that over 100 people expressed interest in volunteering!
• We conducted door-to-door outreach to businesses in the Rainier Valley, successfully recruiting multiple new participants in the Age Friendly discount directory.
• On Sept. 26, Civic Coffee was held at Kin On, featuring a presentation focused on home safety modifications and fall prevention. Paige Denison from Sound Generations moderated a discussion with panelists Mae Amorin from Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County and Dale Miller from Sound Generations. They provided tips for preventing falls in the home and shared resources from both organizations that offer free and subsidized home modifications to enhance safety and support aging in place. This event was live-interpreted in Mandarin and Cantonese.
• Age Friendly Seattle collaborated with Friends of Waterfront Park on Sept. 14 at Pier 62 for the Golden Gathering. This free event featured accessible activities and entertainment on Waterfront Park, all geared toward older adults.
• This month, we said a bittersweet farewell to two fabulous interns, Isabella and Fathima. For over a year, these college students have been working with Age Friendly Seattle, and each has made significant contributions. While we said goodbye to these amazing young people, we also welcomed two new interns from UW—Reese and Niko—and look forward to working with them over the next year. Thank you, interns!

August

• On August 28, Age Friendly Seattle, the Northwest Universal Design Council, and Jensen Hughes partnered to host an interactive installation at the Seattle Design Festival. Our booth featured four interconnected “rooms” representing common building types—like schools, homes, and transportation hubs—designed to spark conversations about accessibility and Universal Design. Festivalgoers adopted the perspective of various personas, such as a wheelchair user or a parent with young children. They navigated the spaces while identifying barriers and exploring small-scale tools to improve inclusivity. With guidance from staff and volunteers, participants engaged deeply with the concept of designing for everyone. The installation encouraged attendees to ask, “What IF our environments were truly inclusive?”—highlighting how Universal Design benefits all of us throughout our lives.
• Age Friendly Seattle submitted a public comment to the federal Office of Housing and Development in support of a rental assistance pilot that may help old adults age in place.
• Our August 12 Civic Coffee was held at Lake City Senior Center on the topic of Social Connectivity. Teresa Tam, Social Connection Project Coordinator for Phinney Neighborhood Association, delivered an insightful presentation on the Greenwood Senior Center Social Connection Project. The session then shifted to an open conversation about the difficulties of building and sustaining social connections. This event was interpreted in Spanish, Mandarin, and Chinese.
• Age Friendly Seattle participated in YES Fest, hosting an engaging booth that drew many visitors. Attendees had the opportunity to spin a wheel featuring multigenerational-themed questions, sparking fun and meaningful conversations. The Age Friendly staff distributed numerous Gold Cards and shared valuable resources on aging and support services.

July

• In early July, we welcomed two Seattle Youth Employment Program interns! This is our third time participating in the program, and we are thrilled to have these students supporting Age Friendly Seattle this summer while learning about aging issues in our region.  
• We launched our “Explore and Save” summer activity guides, which feature locations offering Gold and FLASH Card discounts. These guides also contain information about transportation options for getting to each venue, and we are working with Seattle’s Department of Transportation to distribute these and to use them as destinations for SDOT’s senior trip outings. 
• On July 17, AFS staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting 
• On July 19, we held the second convening of the Social Connectivity Learning Network which we launched in March of this year. Attendees again represented multiple different fields—including service providers, government programs, and research institutes—which is promising for potential cross-sector collaboration. 
• Our July 22 Civic Coffee event was held in partnership with the Lake City Senior Center and featured panelists from Elderwise and the Greenwood Senior Center who address brain health and available resources for people experiencing cognitive decline, as well as support for families and loved ones. This event was live interpreted into Spanish, Manderin, and Cantonese.  
• On July 25, we teamed up with members of the Aging and Disability Services Advisory Council to lead an anti-ageism training debrief discussion with the Seattle Planning Commission. 

June

• Age Friendly Seattle staff continued to lead efforts to launch a pilot project that addresses the caregiver workforce shortage by exploring a new model for home care delivery. Staff will be presenting this work at the Washington State Association of Area Agencies on Aging convening this June.  
• Age Friendly Seattle continues to roll out the anti-ageism training to COS staff and to the public. Working with Aging and Disability Services Advisory Council Members as peer ambassadors, we held a June 6 debrief session with the Seattle Disabilities Commission in June. 
• Our June 10 Civic Coffee was held at the Ethiopian Community in Seattle and focused on nutrition and healthy diet. The event was live interpreted in Amharic. 
• In June, we were notified that our proposal for an installation at the Seattle Design Festival had been accepted! We are doing this in partnership with the Northwest Universal Design Council and Jensen Hughes. The planning has now begun for the festival dates in mid-August.  
• For several months, we have participated in a national workgroup to create a guidebook for creating age-inclusive cities. After a series of four meetings, the workgroup produced this guidebook and plans to share at the June Conference of Mayors convening. To inform this guide, Age Friendly Seattle shared several examples of our own efforts, including our anti-ageism training, our Civic Coffee events, our discount directory, and our social connectivity learning network. This workgroup was born out of last year’s Conference of Mayors when a resolution was passed encouraging cities to become more age-inclusive, and Seattle was selected as one of 18 cities to participate in a workgroup to help operationalize this.  
• Age Friendly Seattle staff and interns continued door-to-door outreach to recruit local businesses for the Gold/FLASH Card discount directory. We also partnered with Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods’ Community Liaisons to help with these efforts, and together we recruited more than a dozen new participating organizations.  

May

• We were thrilled to launch a public-facing anti-ageism training on May 1!  Created with input from community leaders, this version adapts our anti-ageism training for City of Seattle staff, which has been viewed by hundreds of city employees representing over a dozen departments. We encourage you to watch the public training and share with your networks! 
• On May 15, we held our first deep-dive webinar for the Social Connectivity Learning Network we launched in March of this year. These webinars will be held in the months between in-person convenings and focus on a topic of the group’s choosing. May’s event focused on digital equity, featuring the expert behind Seattle’s Tech Adoption Survey as well as a student from Duke University who initiated a digital navigation partnership between college students and senior centers  
• On May 20, Age Friendly Seattle staff presented to an Executive Committee of the North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA). We were invited to share the work Seattle has done as an Age Friendly city and discuss potential engagement from other cities.  
• Age Friendly Seattle staff met with all staff at the Seattle Animal Shelter to lead a discussion about ageism. Animal Shelter leadership chose to make the anti-ageism training mandatory for their entire team, and we facilitated a productive debrief session during which we jointly spotted several opportunities to collaborate and strengthen supports for older community members across Seattle. 
• Our May 21 Civic Coffee was held at the Ethiopian Community. in Seattle and was translated in Amharic with the support of the Department of Neighborhood's Community Liaisons. Approximately 70 people attended the event, which focused on aging in place.  
• Age Friendly staff attended Governor Inslee’s Summit on Aging and Longevity, where approximately 100 government and community leaders gathered to discuss current data trends and issues related to aging. This comes on the heels of WA State announcing its Age-Friendly and Dementia-Friendly designation. Age Friendly Seattle staff presented to the original statewide workgroup when these distinctions were first being considered and will participate in a workgroup going forward to operationalize the state’s commitment to becoming more age-friendly.  
• Age Friendly Seattle staff and interns conducted door-to-door outreach this month to local businesses in the downtown area, encouraging them to join the Gold/FLASH Card discount directory. 
• On May 29, Age Friendly Seattle partnered with Seattle’s Office of Community Development and Planning and the Pike Market Senior Center to host a discussion on the OneSeattle Comprehensive Plan. Over 60 people attended to learn about Seattle’s plans and to weigh in with their thoughts and feedback. 

April

• In April, we finalized an Age Friendly GIS Map. This is an internal tool we built in collaboration with Seattle IT. It provides visual information about where older adults live, where they experience various socio-economic factors, where health disparities are being experienced, where traffic patters may be impacting older adults, and more. We hope this tool aides planning conducted by departments across the city and helps ensure older adults are recognized in Seattle plans and policies.  
• Age Friendly Seattle staff supported the April 9th convening of the Northwest Universal Design Council, a group of community members invested in making our region more accessible to everyone through design. 
• On April 15, we met with Parks and Recreation’s Lifelong Recreation team to facilitate a discussion about ageism. This post-training debrief was thoughtful and productive, highlighting a commitment to reduce ageism and create inclusive environments across programs.   
• Age Friendly staff continued to lead a workgroup focused on launching a pilot to explore a model of homecare provision to better support both clients and caregivers.  
• Our April 23 Civic Coffee was focused on available summer activities, and featured speakers from the Seattle Waterfront, the Seattle Center, and the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department. This event was held in partnership with the Chinese Information Services Center and was live interpreted in Manderin and Cantonese. 

March

• In March, Age Friendly Seattle convened 40+ stakeholders from various sectors to kick off a learning network focused on increasing the social connectivity of older adults in our region. We launched this in partnership with staff at the Phinney Neighborhood Association / Greenwood Senior Center. Attendees included service providers, housing providers, transportation providers, academic researchers, and representatives from Seattle and King County government departments including Parks, IT, Human Services, and libraries.  
• Our March 19 Civic Coffee was held in partnership with the Chinese Information Services Center and focused on how to identify accurate information, as requested by the community. This event was live interpreted in Manderin and Cantonese.  
• On March 4, Age Friendly Seattle staff joined members of the Northwest Universal Design Council to talk with staff and Board Members from the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners about the potential for including accessible design as one of their funding priorities.
• On March 20, AFS staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting.
• We hosted two workshops at the American Society on Aging Conference in San Francisco the week of March 25. One featured our work on emergency preparedness in partnership with King County DHCS, and the other featured our anti-ageism training. Both workshops were well received. 

February

• In February, we accepted an invitation to participate in a national workgroup to establish a national standard of “age-inclusiveness" and share best practices for advancing an age-friendly framework. This work is driven by the 2023 Conference of Mayor’s resolution to promote age-inclusive cities, and Seattle is one of 16 cities participating.
• Age Friendly Seattle staff supported the February 13th convening of the Northwest Universal Design Council, a group of community members invested in making our region more accessible to everyone through design.
• On Feb. 19, Age Friendly Seattle staff attended the quarterly King County Mobility Coalition meeting. 
• Age Friendly Seattle and Aging and Disability Services staff conducted an interview, as requested by WA State Department of Health, to help inform the development of recommendations for how WA State can adapt the Trust for America’s Health Age-Friendly Public Health System framework to address nutrition and physical activity needs of older adults with limited incomes. The interviews will inform a summary of notes and set of recommendations for the WA DOH SNAP-Ed program.  
• On Feb. 23, AFS held our monthly Civic Coffee, this time at the Ballard Senior Center with a focus on digital navigation and data protection. 

January

• We published the new Age Friendly Seattle Strategic Framework online, along with a 2023 Highlights Report that features examples of our work over the past year. 
• Age Friendly Seattle staff participated as a reviewer on a panel evaluating proposals for Seattle IT’s Digital Navigators grant. 
• On Jan. 17, AFS staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting 
• As part of our on-going anti-ageism training roll-out, we held a post-training debrief discussion with staff from Seattle IT’s Digital Equity team on Jan. 23.  
• Our Jan. 24 Civic Coffee at the Wallingford Senior Center explored alternative therapies to help people stay physically and mentally healthy, including music and creative arts.  
• In an effort to track Seattle’s progress towards an age-friendly city, we worked with our partners in the data team to select key indicators to monitor over time. We aim to report on these outcomes each year to promote transparency and collaboration. 

Age Friendly Seattle Highlights in 2023

December

• We connected with our flagship Gold/FLASH Card partners at the Seattle Aquarium, the Woodland Park Zoo, and the Seattle Animal shelter to learn that they collectively served over 10,000 Gold/FLASH card users in 2024. This demonstrates that the program is growing, and we are committed to continuing to expand the number of participating businesses in 2024 so that people all over our city may benefit from discounts.

• Age Friendly Seattle staff supported December 12th convening of the Northwest Universal Design Council, a group of community members invested in making our region more accessible to everyone through design.

• On December 14th, Age Friendly Seattle staff presented to a group of home care agencies about the potential of a 2024 pilot project that would explore the potential of a specific model of homecare delivery.  

• No Civic Coffee event was held in December. Instead, we used the time to plan ahead for events in 2024.  

November

• In partnership with the Northwest Universal Design Council and the City of Redmond, Age Friendly Seattle convened a meeting of city planners, design industry professionals, and community advocates to discuss how accessibility can be incorporated into government plans and policies. We hope this is the start of an ongoing conversation on “Implementing Inclusive Design- Policy and Code."

• On November 15, AFS staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee.

• On November 16, we held a Civic Coffee at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library, featuring experts on Assistive Technologies.

• AFS staff helped draft a Transportation Request for Proposal aimed at encouraging organizations to meet the mobility needs of older adults.

• We continued to roll out our anti-ageism training to City of Seattle staff in various departments.

October

• On October 5, we talked with the Bellevue Network on Aging about the impacts of ageism, and shared information about the anti-ageism training we created for City of Seattle staff.

• Age Friendly Seattle was featured in a Seattle Times article that highlights the needs of older adults throughout Seattle’s various neighborhoods.

• On the heels of a successful District 4 Seattle City Council candidate forum in September, we hosted three additional Age Friendly candidate forums in October (recordings of the conversations in Districts 1, 3, 4, and 5 are all available on our YouTube channel). These proved to be great opportunities for community members to get to know their future elected officials and raise issues relevant to aging in our city.

• Our October Civic Coffee at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center focused on social connectivity. Panelists from SilverKite and Friends of the Waterfront shared information about their programs and the work they are doing to make Seattle more accessible and connected.

• Our proposals to present at the 2024 American Society on Aging Conference in San Francisco were accepted. We will share our work developing anti-ageism trainings as well as emergency preparedness coordination with King County.

September

• In early September, we co-presented with colleagues from Aging and Disability Services and King County Department of Human and Community Services about our year-long collaboration - part of a grant from Trust for America’s Health - that focused on senior center emergency readiness and delivery of emergency kits to residents aged 85+ who live in Seattle and King County Housing Authority buildings. Our presentation audience included emergency management and human services staff from both Seattle and King County.

• Our September Civic Coffee was held in-person at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center as well as online, allowing engagement via Zoom. Our topic was Falls Prevention, featuring panelists with nursing and OT expertise, plus a presentation by the director of the King County Falls Prevention Coalition.

• We held the first of four Seattle City Council candidate forums focused on aging issues. This event took place at the Wallingford Senior Center in District 4. Questions from the audience focused primarily on housing, public safety, and transportation.

• Age Friendly Seattle attended the Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board meeting, where we serve in a non-voting member role.

• We continued to participate on the Find-A-Ride User Testing Task Force, where we support the development of an app which will help people with mobility challenges more easily find and book specialized transportation.

August

• Age Friendly teamed up with the Northwest Universal Design Council and Jensen Hughes to host a demonstration at the Seattle Design Festival Pop-Up experience at South Lake Union Park. We featured a full-scale model accessible bathroom that people could explore to learn about Universal Design features and experiment with some assistive technologies. Our team of staff and volunteers had over 700 meaningful conversations and interactions with festival goers over the weekend, and many more of the 9,000 attendees got a peak at our installation. We heard lots of personal stories from people about the importance of accessibility to them as caregivers, people with disabilities, and older adults who wish to age in place. A great reminder that universal design really does benefit us all!

• We partnered with the Senior Center of West Seattle to take a group of older adults to the acquarium using public transportation. This was a chance for folks to get familiar with transit options AND use their Gold Card for free entrance at the acquarium.

• More than 50 people attended the August 18th Civic Coffee at the South Park Senior Center, which focused on technology and older adults, including skills building and available resources. We continued to partner with the Community Liaisons, who provided interpretation in Vietnamese.

• AFS staff attended a convening held by AARP and Leading Age to discuss potential models for coordinated home care services. This forum brought together a range of stakeholders in the health, housing, and aging fields and was one of the outcomes of the Age-Friendly Housing Forums held in late 2022/early 2023.

July

• We are thrilled to launch our newly created anti-ageism training! This three-module training is now available to all City of Seattle employees. As part of our roll-out, we will be encouraging teams across disciplines to watch these trainings and join small group discussion with us to debrief what they learned and continue thinking about and engaging with this topic. Ageism harms us all, and this training is an opportunity for City employees to reflect on the ways we can advance an anti-ageist culture, both personally and professionally. 

• We assembled and delivered 389 emergency kits to people aged 85 and older living in King County Housing Authority Buildings. This is part of a year-long project between Age Friendly, Aging and Disability Services, King County Dept of Human and Community Services, and WA State Dept of Health focused on emergency preparedness. Older adults are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including the extreme heat our region now experiences.

• Age Friendly Seattle supported the July 11th Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting.

• On July 22, we participated for the second time in Yes Fest, a summer celebration hosted by community partners and held at Yesler Terrace. We played interactive and education games about aging issues with this intergenerational audience, and shared helpful resources. We will continue partaking in Yes Fest events all summer.

• July 26th's Civic Coffee focused on End-of-Life Planning and was held at the South Park Senior Center. For the first time, we engaged Seattle’s Department of Neighborhood’s Community Liaison professionals to support with materials translation, live interpretation, and outreach. We look forward to furthering this successful partnership!

June

• We welcomed three new interns to the Age Friendly Seattle team. Isabella and Fathima are college students who will be with us for a full year, and MiAinjel is a high school junior who joined us through the Seattle Youth Empowerment program. We love the energy and talent these students are bringing to our team!

• On June 5th, we presented to the Bellevue Network on Aging/Kirkland Senior Council Advocacy Subcommittee, sharing our Age Friendly discount directory program. We were happy to hear that folks appreciate this program and are eager to help recruit more participating businesses!

• AFS staff attended the June 8th Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Policy Board meeting, where we serve as a non-voting member.

• We were thrilled to present to Seattle City Council’s Committee on Public Safety and Human Services on June 27. Our focus was on older adults and social isolation, and the ways in which ageism can harm us all. We highlighted the anti-ageism training we have been creating for all City of Seattle staff. You can watch our City Council presentation, or read CM Lisa Herbold’s recap of our presentation in her constituent newsletter!

• On June 28, our monthly Civic Coffee event was held at the Greenwood Senior Center, where we discussed nutrition and the values of gardening (even in small spaces). This was the first post-COVID Civic Coffee event we held entirely in-person, by community request. We continue to explore options for maintaining an online presence for those who wish to participate virtually.

• In June, Age Friendly staff attended the UW Student Capstone presentation to support the GIS mapping students who have been lending their time and knowledge to help us improve our website.

May

• In May, we submitted a proposal to the Seattle Design Festival on behalf of the Northwest Universal Design Council, Jensen Hughes Construction and Engineering Company, and Age Friendly Seattle. These three partners share a commitment to accessible design, and we hope to feature an accessible bathroom as well as lead tours through the urban environment to help illuminate some of the mobility challenges folks can face. This would be the second time that both NWUDC and Jensen Hughes have participated in the festival, though the first time as partners.

• For more than a year, AFS staff have been serving as the Human Services Department liaison to the OPCD-led interdepartmental workgroup on Seattle’s 20-year Comprehensive City Plan. In May, AFS reviewed proposed policies for their impact on older adults and other communities HSD serves, presented to and solicited input from leadership, and shared feedback with the Office of Planning and Development.

• Although our official project has concluded, staff from AFS, Aging and Disability Services, and King County DCHS continue to meet to discuss emergency preparedness for older adults. In May, we made plans to distribute nearly 400 emergency kits to older adults aged 85+ and living in housing authority buildings.

• AFS staff served as a panel reviewer for Seattle IT’s 2023 Technology Matching Fund grant applications. This is aligned with Age Friendly’s goal of pursuing digital equity across ages, and we continue to participate in the IT-convened IDT around digital equity.

• On May 24, we held our monthly Civic Coffee at the Greenwood Senior Center. By community request, the event was focused on home repair and weatherization, featuring panelists from Habitat for Humanity and Puget Sound Energy. This was our last time hosting panelists online and beaming it into a room of participants; starting in June, we will be hosting panelists in-person and sharing the recording online.

• AFS staff engaged in several transportation spaces. We participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s bi-monthly Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting and the King County Mobility Coalition’s quarterly meeting (we are a voting member of both bodies). We also continued our engagement in the One-Click/One-Call User Testing Taskforce meeting to vet a new app to help people with disabilities more easily find and book transportation, as well as continued our engagement with SDOT’s Transportation Safety Advisory Committee.

• We were thrilled to be notified this month that Age Friendly Seattle has been selected by AARP to receive technical assistance in two requested areas: missing middle housing and effective community engagement. We are looking forward to working with these AARP-supported consultants later this year!

• AFS staff are supporting the drafting of the Area Agency on Aging’s 4-year Area Plan.

April

• On April 18, Age Friendly Seattle Civic Coffee, in collaboration with the Senior Center of West Seattle, hosted a panel discussion about memory loss and how efforts from organizations (including the City of Seattle) are promoting brain health. This month’s panelists were Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1—West Seattle, South Park, Georgetown, Industrial District, SODO, and Pioneer Square); Karen Thompson, Alzheimer’s Association Washington State; and Sandy Sabersky, Elderwise. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube or read a recap on AgeWise King County.

• Older adults are disproportionately vulnerable to extreme heat, and AFS met with staff from King County Public Health and ADS to discuss how older adults can be supported in King County’s heat mitigation strategies.

• AFS continued conversations with DON and SDOT about how to create a network of neighbor volunteers that support one another’s needs including snow-shoveling.

• On April 24, AFS staff supported the second online reconvening of workgroups formed at the second Age Friendly Housing Forum. A few concrete actions have emerged, including further conversations and partnerships around how older adults can benefit from supportive health services offered in publicly funded housing, among other things.

• We continued to meet with University of Washington students who are studying GIS mapping. We are thrilled that their capstone project includes improving Age Friendly Seattle’s discount directory online user interface, and we are meeting with their team regularly throughout the semester.

• AFS joined other Aging and Disability Services staff for a conversation with ALTSA’s Home and Community Services team. This is part of advancing the Coordinated Personal Care pilot to bring supportive health services into home environments; AFS staff is project managing this initiative.

• One of our wonderful AFS interns conducted a survey of all Gold Card holders for whom we have email addresses. More than 100 people responded, providing us with valuable insight: most people who use their discount card report that it improves their social connectivity, and people would like to see more businesses added in the categories of arts, culture, and entertainment, as well as food. This has informed our outreach plans—as a start, we are happy to share that the Seattle Mariners have now listed their discount on our directory.

March

• On March 6, AFS supported an online reconvening for workgroups formed at the second Age Friendly Housing Forum in January. Workgroups included focuses on co-housing models, aging in affordable housing, and supportive health services in homes. These same groups will meet again in six weeks.

• AFS staff traveled to Richland on March 13 for a statewide Age Friendly Public Health Systems convening, where we presented to and learned from other aging and public health professionals around the state. Organized by the WA State Dept of Health, this was the culmination of a year-long project that we partnered on with ADS and King County DCHS. Our project focused specifically on emergency preparedness for older adults, and AFS staff served on the planning committee for this statewide convening.

• AFS staff participated in the bi-monthly Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) Transportation Policy Board meetings, where we serve in a non-voting membership role, as well as this body’s Special Needs Transportation Committee, where we are a voting member.

• This month, we engaged in several additional transportation-related spaces: we joined SDOT’s Transportation Access Safety Advisory Group to explore opportunities to improve the safety of older adults on public transit, and also engaged in SDOT’s interdepartmental workgroup focused on Aurora corridor redevelopment to discuss outreach to older adults in the areas. We attended the SDOT-convened Pedestrian Access Advisory Committee meeting, as well continued to participate in the One-Call/One-Click User Testing Taskforce, working to fine-tune an app to help riders more easily find and book specialized transportation.

• Partnering with Seattle Parks and Recreation, we submitted an AARP Community Challenge Grant to launch an older adult-focused lifeguard training course. While lifeguard training has historically been marketed to and accessed by younger people, many older adults are excellent swimmers who enjoy teaching lessons and providing services to their community and can help bring more intergenerational perspectives to lifeguard teams.

• On March 21, we held Civic Coffee at West Seattle’s Highpoint Neighborhood House. By community request, this event focused on personal safety and featured a speaker from Seattle Police Department. It was translated into three languages simultaneously.

• We continued to support the Northwest Universal Design Council’s monthly Steering Committee meeting.

February

• On February 8th, AFS staff presented to the King County Women’s Advisory Board to highlight the many challenges women often face as they age. This includes economic insecurity due to a lifetime of experiencing the gender pay gap and working jobs that are less likely to offer retirement benefits.

• AFS staff guest taught a University of Washington class as part of the School of Nursing’s Health Equity course. The lecture focused on ageism’s impacts on health outcomes, from systemic ageism that can lead to over- and under-diagnosing, to internalized bias that can discourage people from engaging in healthy behaviors and ultimately lead to shorter lifespans.

• Because access to transportation is an important element for older adults to maintain independence, AFS continued our participation with the King County Mobility Coalition by attending the quarterly meeting and participating in the One-Call/One-Click Advisory Committee, which aims to launch an app that improves ride-finding for people with specialized transportation needs.

• This month we continued to focus on development of an anti-ageism training that will be available to all City of Seattle staff. We aim to complete three modules of training by the end of June 2023.

• On February 22, in collaboration with Lake City Senior Center, the Age Friendly Seattle Civic Coffee discussed what access to care can look like and how different organizations are catering to the diverse needs of Seattle’s older adults. The Civic Coffee panelists who explored the relationship between older adults and healthcare were Dr. Socia Love-Thurman (aka Dr. Love), Chief Health Officer at Seattle Indian Health Board; Jeremy Edmonds, Outreach and Marketing Liaison at Providence ElderPlace PACE; and Karishama Vahora, Community Outreach Coordinator at Providence ElderPlace PACE. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube or read a recap on AgeWise King County.

January

• In early January, the Northwest Universal Design Council held its second post-COVID Happy Hour at a LightArt, a lighting and acoustic design showroom. It was great to see lots of new faces—from architects to affordable housing developers to colleagues from around the City. The noise-cancelling technology showcased has potential application to support older adults with hearing loss or dementias.

• On January 11th, AFS staff had the privilege of teaching a group of seventy-five 3rd graders about ageism. The kids were engaged and quickly understood how ageism can be harmful, and how it is pervasive in our lives. We practiced combatting ageism by reframing our thoughts and focusing on the things to look forward to in older years. It was a real treat to spend the morning with this group!

• AFS staff participated in the January 12th Puget Sound Regional Council’s (PSRC) Transportation Policy Board meetings, where we serve in a non-voting membership role, as well as this body’s Special Needs Transportation Committee on January 18th, where we are a voting member.

• On January 23, AFS again partnered with King County DCHS, AARP, and the Northwest Universal Design Council to host the second in-person Older Adults Housing Forum. This built off the successful forum in November 2022, and provided an opportunity to deepen discussions amongst participants and form workgroups based on what attendees saw as pressing issues. Workgroups included co-housing models, in-home supportive services, public housing, and resource education. Participants will be invited to reconvene in six weeks to share progress and continue collective efforts.

• Age Friendly Seattle’s Civic Coffee on January 25 highlighted the importance of financial planning and fraud protection for older adults. This panel discussion encouraged us to think about how to stretch our money by planning and protecting ourselves financially. Kay Tomlinson, a volunteer AARP Fraud Watch specialist, and John McKenney, the financial education coordinator from the Washington Office of the State Treasurer, were the panelists who explored the relationship between older adults and finances. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube or read a recap on AgeWise King County.

• AFS was happy to be included in the King County Mobility Coalition’s action planning workgroup, supporting the development of the coalition’s roadmap for the next several years. Planning will continue for the next several months.

December

• On December 6, staff participated in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee’s funding deliberation and recommendations.

• We launched a new campaign with partners at Community Boost to promote the Age Friendly Gold Card discount program through targeted Google Ads.

• Production began on the anti-ageism training modules which AFS is creating for City of Seattle employees.

• Staff are planning ahead for 2023 Civic Coffees, which will all be held at community locations around Seattle and hosted in partnership with Senior Centers and other organizations. Each event will again feature live translation in the languages the local community speaks. We are proud and honored to have received recognition from our Human Services Department colleagues, who presented our team with an Innovation Award at our annual employee recognition event!

• Age Friendly Seattle is featured in the December issue of the AARP Bulletin, “Making Seattle More Livable for All”. Notable achievements are 12,000+ views of Age Friendly Live virtual Civic Coffees and other events, including YouTube recordings, during the pandemic; a recent progress report; and work prior to the pandemic on Pike Place Market accessibility, SDOT’s Age-Friendly Street Design Toolkit, and Age Friendly’s Community Guide to Accessible Events and Meetings.

November

• On November 2, we co-hosted the in-person Age-Friendly Housing Forum: Where Will Seattle’s Older Adults Live?. Done in partnership with AARP, the Northwest Universal Design Council, and King County Department of Human and Community Services’ older adults team, this event featured 16 expert speakers who covered topics ranging from the unique housing challenges older adults face, accessibility in home design, and innovative models to support aging in place. Over 100 people attended this event held at City Hall, and it was filmed and broadcast by Seattle Channel. Click on the link to watch the recording!
• On November 12, Age Friendly Seattle helped coordinate The 2022 African American Caregivers Forum, along with the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders, Seattle Human Services, and a wide variety of community partners. This year's keynote presentation was “Black Joy Matters in Caregiver Health.” Details—including presenters and sponsors—are available under the Previous Forums link at www.agingkingcounty.org/legacyoflove.
• On November 15, Age Friendly Seattle moderated an accessibility training for the Friends of Waterfront Seattle group, with the goal of supporting the waterfront design and programming in being accessible to all people, including older adults. The Age Friendly Seattle team helped identify and recruit expert panelists for this event, and we look forward to future partnerships with this group.
• On November 15, Age Friendly Seattle attended the quarterly King County Mobility Coalition meeting. We regularly attend and participate in this coalition, as older adults identify accessible transportation as a high priority.
• On November 16, AFS staff attended the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Special Needs Transportation Committee meeting and heard presentations from several organizations and projects seeking funding to support transportation for people with disabilities and other special needs.
• On November 17, our monthly Civic Coffee was again held in partnership with Neighborhood House and the Seattle Housing Authority as a hybrid event with live translation happening in three languages. This month’s topic was winterization, including emergency preparedness, fall prevention, and home weatherizing. Watch the recording on Facebook or YouTube!
• AFS staff met with several local organizations to discuss further FLASH Card distribution (discounts for people 18-59 with disabilities). We continue to see high utilization of the recently launched online application portals, where residents can request both FLASH and Gold Cards to receive discounts around the city.

October

• For the first time, we co-hosted Civic Coffee with a community partner: Neighborhood House in the High Point neighborhood of West Seattle hosted us, and residents from the nearby SHA buildings were invited. We were proud to provide live interpretation in three languages and are excited to be exploring this new model! In honor of World Food Day, this October 20 event raised awareness about hunger and food securing in our community, especially among older adults. The discussion featured panelists from Food Network Innovations, West Seattle Food Bank, and Seattle’s Office of Sustainability and Environment  Check it out on Facebook  or  YouTube!
• On October 24, AFS staff participated in workgroup discussion focused on the launch of an app that helps people with disabilities more easily find specialized transportation services. An early proof of concept of this app was showcased at a 2017 Age Friendly Seattle hack-a-thon, and it is exciting to see the product coming to fruition.
• On October 28, Age Friendly Seattle supported Seattle Parks and Recreation’s relaunch of the Sound Steps walking program. This free, volunteer-run program offers a range of group walks all over Seattle; it’s a great way for older adults to meet new people, exercise, and explore the city. The Sound Steps kick-off event was held at Magnuson Park and attended by approximately 150 people. It featured a resource fair, sample walks, tai chi, and other activities. We were thrilled to be a part of it!
• AFS staff continue to meet bi-weekly with King County Dept of Health and Community Services and the WA State Dept of Health as part of the Age Friendly Public Health Systems initiative we are engaging in. Our workgroup’s focus is on emergency planning and preparedness for older adults in the event of extreme weather.

September

• On September 6, AFS supported the Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These are held monthly, led by community members and industry experts, and supported by City of Seattle staff. Participation is open and can be accessed by visiting www.environmentsforall.org. September’s meeting featured a presentation by Habitat for Humanity’s CAPABLE program that aims to support aging in place.
• On September 8, Age Friendly partnered with Aging and Disability Services, AARP, Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders to host our second Congressional conversation featuring Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Adam Smith. This event focused on economic security and older adults and followed on the heels of August’s conversation with Representative Suzan DelBene addressing health issues. Catch the recording on YouTube!
• On September 15, we held our second hybrid Civic Coffee in partnership with the Seattle Public Library. Our online panel discussion was piped into a viewing room at Seattle’s Central branch where people gathered in person for real coffee and treats. This Civic Coffee shed light on art and its power to enhance quality of life and nurture overall well-being of older adults and their caregivers, featuring panelists from Frye Museum, Lake City Seniors, and Sound Generations who brought diverse perspectives and shared ways to participate in art around our city. Watch the recording on Facebook or  YouTube!
• Age Friendly Seattle staff had the opportunity to highlight our work and successes in two spaces this month: on September 20, we presented to AARP’s state advisory council and on September 22, we presented at a statewide stakeholders meeting convened by Washington’s Department of Health.
• We published a report capturing Age Friendly Seattle’s efforts and accomplishments since the initiative began in 2016 through 2021. This period encompassed the initial five-year strategic plan, and we are now at work creating the roadmap for our next 5 years

August

• Age Friendly Seattle staff continued our collaboration with Aging and Disability Services, Public Health—Seattle & King County, and King County Department of Health and Community Services to improve emergency preparedness in extreme weather, as older adults are disproportionately impacted. This work is being done in partnership with Washington’s Department of Health and Trust for America’s Health as part of efforts to advance age-friendly public health systems.
• On August 2nd, AFS supported the Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These are held monthly, led by community members and industry experts, and supported by City of Seattle staff. Participation is open and can be accessed by visiting www.environmentsforall.org. June’s meeting featured a presentation by Richard Duncan from RL Mace, a firm specialized in promoting Universal Design.
• On August 17, we held our very first hybrid event! In partnership with the Seattle Public Library, we conducted our panel discussion online but were able to pipe it in to a viewing room at Seattle’s Central branch where people gathered in person for real coffee and treats. This Civic Coffee focused on finances and aging, featuring Donna O’Connor from Hopelink, and Kathy Van Olst and Page Ulrey from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
• At the end of June, we successfully launched the online application for Gold and FLASH cards. Within one week, we saw applications increase by 300%!
• On August 26, Age Friendly partnered with Aging and Disability Services, AARP, Washington Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders to host our first Congressional conversation with Representative Suzan DelBene. This event focused on health care and older adults, and was followed by a second event in September featuring Representatives Pramila Jayapal and Adam Smith focused on economic security and older adults.

July

• On July 1 and July 29, Age Friendly Seattle participated for the first time ever in Yes Fest. This summer series of community celebrations in Yesler Terrace is put together by SHA, Neighborhood House, Seattle U, Bureau of Fearless Ideas, Black Farmers Collective, MultiMedia Resource and Training Institute, and Seattle Public Library. It was a great opportunity for Age Friendly to engage with older adults in Yesler Terrace and adjoining neighborhoods, as well as other service providers. The Age Friendly team speaks a multitude of languages and we were glad to be able to converse in-language with this diverse and vibrant community.
• On July 21, Age Friendly Seattle’s virtual Civic Coffee celebrated Parks and Recreation Month with a panel discussion on the history and value of Seattle’s park system and recreation activities available to older adults, including people with dementia. Panelists included Paige Denison from Sound Generations, Jennifer Ott with HistoryLink, and Tamara O’Keefe with Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Lifelong Learning program. It was moderated by Cheryl Brown, also with Lifelong Learning. Read the recap here!
• Age Friendly staff continued participation in Puget Sound Regional Council meetings related to transportation, including the Special Needs Transportation Committee.
• In a first since 2020, the Northwest Universal Design Council held an in-person Happy Hour on July 27, supported by Age Friendly Seattle staff. There was great energy and attendance from people across a range of sectors: architects, landscapers, interior designers, realtors, marketing folks, and advocates.

June

• On June 7th, Age Friendly Seattle hosted interdepartmental discussion with experts from Opticos, a firm that specializes in advancing “missing middle” housing options. Many older adults lack access to affordable housing that meets their needs as they age, and Missing Middle housing options are one potential solution to increasing the availability of affordable and accessible units.
• Also on June 7th, AFS supported the Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These are now being held monthly, led by community members and industry experts and supported by City of Seattle staff. Participation is open and can be accessed by visiting www.environmentsforall.org.
• In June, Age Friendly staff began participating in a panel review process for proposals submitted to King County for funding that would be used to address social isolation amongst older adults. Ultimately, 6 organizations were awarded funding for inspiring projects reaching diverse communities.
• On June 22, Age Friendly Seattle’s virtual Civic Coffee celebrated Brain Health Month with a panel discussion on brain health, aging, and the experiences of LGBTQ+ adults, African Americans elders, and caregivers. Panelists were Charlie Pitre Hoy-Ellis, Assistant Professor at the University of Utah School of Social Work; Karen Winston, Senior Planner with Seattle Aging and Disability Services, and Lionel Wang, Alzheimer’s Association’s support group facilitator of the LGBTQI+ support group for Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers. Watch the full show, or read the recap here!
• We welcomed several new interns in June! For the first time ever, Age Friendly Seattle participated in the Seattle Youth Empowerment program and managed two high school aged interns. We also onboarded a new college intern from the University of Washington, who will work part-time with Age Friendly Seattle for the next year. We are thrilled to have them join us and encourage this kind of intergenerational engagement in Age Friendly’s work.

May

• In early May, we kicked off our Age Friendly Business outreach campaign. Staff and interns hit the streets talking to businesses to encourage them to join the discount directory offering Gold/FLASH cards and adopt age-friendly practices for their customers and employees. Focusing on neighborhoods with high concentrations of older adults, we began our outreach in Chinatown-International District and plan to move into Bitter Lake, Northgate, and Othello in the coming months. This is our first outreach conducted to businesses since the pandemic began. Read more about this work in our AgeWise article!
• Age Friendly Seattle coordinated the vetting of a new dementia caregiver training offered by the Rosalynn Carter Dementia Caregiver Training. After assessing initial community interest, AFS funded the enrollment of 20 participants in our region. This is the first time the program is being offered in Washington.
• On May 18, AFS supported the Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These are now being held monthly, led by community members and industry experts and supported by City of Seattle staff. Participation is open and can be accessed by visiting www.environmentsforall.org.
• On May 19, Age Friendly Seattle’s virtual Civic Coffee celebrated Older Americans Month with a panel discussion on ways older adults contribute as community leaders, volunteers, workers, caregivers, and in many other capacities. Panelists were Matt King, AARP Foundation; Margaret Boddie, African American Elders Program; and Kate Harkins, Southeast Seattle Senior Center. The discussion was moderated by Mary Mitchell, Aging and Disability Services, Seattle Human Services Department. Flyer

April

• On April 5, AFS supported the second Northwest Universal Design Council steering committee meeting. These will be held monthly, led by community members and industry experts and supported by City of Seattle staff.
• In anticipation of our outreach campaign to small businesses, Age Friendly staff have conducted a series of meetings with colleagues from Department of Neighborhoods, Office of Economic Development, and Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to align with various internal priorities and to better understand and serve key neighborhoods.
• Age Friendly Seattle is strengthening relationships with partners at the Seattle Aquarium, Seattle Animal Shelter, and Woodland Park Zoo. A series of conversations has helped deepen our understanding of how older adults and families use Gold and FLASH Card discounts, and sparked ideas for future collaborations.

March

• On March 31, Age Friendly Seattle’s Civic Coffee event recognized Fair Housing Month with a spotlight on Seattle’s Central District. Moderated by TraeAnna Holiday from Converge Media, the panel featured Edna Daigre, dance teacher and community activist, Rico Quirindongo, Director of Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development, Maiko Winkler-Chin, Director of Seattle’s Office of Housing, and K. Wyking Garrett, CEO of Africatown.
• On March 30, Age Friendly staff participated in the Seattle Department of Transportation’s Sidewalk Storymap beta testing. Our mutual goal is to encourage the maintenance of sidewalks so that older adults and others can safely and comfortably use them.
• On May 18, staff presented a 5-year report covering Age Friendly Seattle’s activities related to the 2017-2021 Action Plan to the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders.
• On March 15, Age Friendly Seattle staff joined colleagues in other parts of the City for a meeting with leaders from Seattle’s sister city, Nantes, France. The city of Nantes is planning to hold a conference on how cities can impact mental health, and we were invited to provide input on possible topics and approaches.
• On March 2, Age Friendly Seattle helped re-launch the Northwest Universal Design Council. This 2022 kick-off was attended by both community leaders and advocates and City of Seattle staff, with the goal of working together to advance the age- and disability-friendliness of built environments in our region.
• Age Friendly Seattle is participating in a learning collaboration with King County, funded by the Trust for America’s Health and coordinated by the WA State Department of Health. Staff met with colleagues at King County Public Health and determined emergency preparedness and coordination as a priority. AFS staff also participated in the second Age Friendly Public Health Systems Learning and Action Network Meeting.
• Age Friendly Seattle teamed up with Seattle Parks and Recreation to submit a grant proposal to relaunch the “Sound Steps” program, this time with a special emphasis on equity and inclusion. This program engages older adult volunteers to lead neighborhood walking groups that encourage exercise and facilitate social connectivity.
• Age Friendly staff continue to engage with internal and external stakeholders, including serving on Seattle’s Interdepartmental Team engaged in Comprehensive City Planning.

February

• On February 15, Age Friendly staff met with the Rosalyn Carter Organization to discuss dementia caregiver trainings. AFS has subsequently convened internal colleagues to evaluate the need for trainings and how to potentially make available to Seattle residents.
• On February 3, Age Friendly Seattle’s Civic Coffee event honored Black History Month with a spotlight on Seattle’s African Descent Communities. Moderated by Emmanuel Ndayisenga from the International Rescue Committee Seattle, the panel featured Luanda Airi from Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Faiza Hamza from the East African Senior Center, and Pamela Williams from the Mayor’s Council on African American Elders.
• AFS staff connected with Age Friendly Renton to discuss the City of Renton’s FitLot program. This helped inform an internal collaboration between Age Friendly Seattle and Seattle Parks and Recreation.
• AFS staff connected with the Age Friendly community of Puyallup to discuss the impacts of the proposed Regional Transportation Plan on older adults. Ultimately, both Puyallup and Seattle submitted comment letters with feedback; Age Friendly Seattle worked with the Department of Transportation to coordinate input and highlight aging issues within the City’s main comment letter to the Regional Transportation Policy Board.
• AFS staff connected with colleagues around the city to discuss and inform various age-friendly efforts, including Seattle’s Department of Transportation, Seattle Public Library, Department of Neighborhood, and Parks and Recreation. We also met with external stakeholders at King County and Washington State Department of Health.
• Age Friendly Seattle submitted a letter of support for a research project that would develop an Older Adult Typology of Physical Activity (OAT-PA). This typology would be a potential tool in designing programs to encourage fitness and prevent falls among older adults.

January

• On January 26, Age Friendly Seattle participated in the Washington State AARP Age Friendly Communities Quarterly meeting to network and share ideas with colleagues in other parts of the state.
• On January 13, Age Friendly Seattle staff participated in the Regional Transportation Policy Board meeting help by the Puget Sound Regional Council.
• Age Friendly staff convened a core team of subject matter experts to continue development of a three-part anti-agism training aimed at City employees.
• Age Friendly Seattle applied for technical assistance through AARP to help inform and guide efforts to advance Universal Design. This request anticipated the re-launch of the Northwest Universal Design Council in March. Our proposal was successful, and we will benefit from this expertise later in 2022.
• The January issue of AgeWise King County included an introduction to new program manager Dinah Stephens in "Advancing Age Friendly Seattle."

November

• Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored Legacy of Love, an annual forum for African American caregivers (November 13).

October

• The October issue of AgeWise included The Seattle Public Library Supports Aging in Place, an article by Seattle Public Library's Older Adults Program Manager, Nancy Slote

September

• On September 23, Irene Stewart presented Age Friendly Seattle's Community Guide to Accessible Events and Meetings as part of the "Equitable Engagement for Equitable Outcomes," a discussion salon at an AARP Livable Communities workshop. Age Friendly Live Virtual Events was featured on the two-day workshop's Materials and Resources page.
• On September 16, the Age Friendly Seattle Civic Coffee Hour featured Seattle Department of Neighborhoods director Andrés Mantilla. Facebook Live (video) | YouTube video (pending)
• Updated the Age Friendly Seattle Community Guide to Accessible Events & Meetings.
• On September 12, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored Grandparents: Love, Culture & History, a National Grandparents Day event, in collaboration with the Mayor's Council on African American Elders, Northwest African American Museum, Nu Black Arts West Theatre, Seattle Human Services Department, Aging and Disability Services, TESC Tacoma, and others.
• On September 2, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured SeaMar Community Health Clinics and upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month, with presentations by Jorge Madrazo, VP/Community Relations, and Dr. Jerry Garcia, VP/Medical Education, SeaMar Community Health Clinics. Facebook Live (video recording) | YouTube video (pending)
• Grandparents: Love, Culture & History (Human Interest Blog, 9/9/21)
• The September issue of AgeWise included:
  • Age Friendly Seattle Adapts to the Virtual Environment, an article by Seattle Human Services Department intern Jody Wong
  • Back to School? The Benefits of Learning Online, which includes Age Friendly Live programming
  • Grandparents: Love, Culture & History, an article about the Grandparents Day event we co-sponsored

August

• On August 19, Age Friendly Seattle's Civic Coffee Hour featured Seattle Department of Transportation director Sam Zimbabwe. Facebook Live (video) | YouTube video (pending)
• On August 5, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Seattle Emergency Hubs, with Ann Forrest, chair of the North Seattle Emergency Hub. Facebook Live (video) | YouTube (video)
• The August issue of AgeWise included:
  • ADS Receives National Recognition for Innovation and Achievement (including the award for Age Friendly Seattle's live online programming)
  • Why Words Matter, an article by Keri Pollock, who serves on the Age Friendly Coalition for Seattle and King County

July

• On July 29, Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored the MCAAE/PSARA Seattle Mayoral Candidates Forum, featuring six of the 15 invited candidates for Mayor of Seattle. None of the sponsoring organizations endorse or make recommendations. AgeWise | Facebook | Video
• On July 28, Age Friendly Seattle (Gheeda Hamam and Irene Stewart) met with representatives from the other age-friendly communities in Washington state—Renton, Tacoma, and Puyallup—in an online meeting coordinated by Amanda Frame, AARP Washington.
• On July 20, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a)—now USAging—recognized "Age Friendly Live"—Age Friendly Seattle's live and online events-with a n4a Aging Achievement Award presented to Aging and Disability Services, the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle-King County. N4a awards recognize cutting-edge approaches to support older adults, people with disabilities and their family caregivers. 2021 n4a Awards Book (Note: n4a became USAging following their national conference in July.)
• On July 15, the Age Friendly Seattle Civic Coffee Hour featured Public Health—Seattle & King County, with Shauna Clark, RN, who oversees the Long-Term Care Facility COVID-19 Response Program, and James Lewis, MD, MPH, a medical epidemiologist in the COVID-19 Heathcare Response, Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunization Section. They described the structure of Public Health's teams and roles as investigators and data analysts and how they provide testing and vaccine support to medical providers.   Facebook | Facebook Live (video) | YouTube
• On July 1, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Alesia Cannady, founder and executive director of Women United Seattle, who talked about kinship care—particularly grandparents raising grandchildren—and her organization's supportive services. Facebook | YouTube video
• The July issue of AgeWise included "31 Years: Are We Accessible Yet?," an article by Dick Woo, chair of the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services, that includes Age Friendly Seattle's efforts to promote accessibility.

June

• On June 17, Age Friendly Seattle's Civic Coffee Hour focused on City of Seattle programs that support LGBTQIA+ elders, with presenters Cheryl Brown (Rainbow Recreation, Lifelong Recreation Program, Seattle Parks and Recreation), Dominique Stephens (External Affairs and Outreach, Office of the Mayor), who described her experience organizing and leading the City of Seattle's contingent in the annual Seattle Pride Parade and Festival; and Kristen Ramirez (Seattle Arts & Culture), who discussed the City's involvement with The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway and Public Art Bootcamp, which explores Queer art, history and the intersectional impact of HIV/AIDS. Facebook | YouTube
• On June 3, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Pride Month, with presentations by Tom Rasmussen, AIDS Memorial Pathway; Amy Cunningham, Aging with Pride: IDEA, UW School of Social Work; and Steven Knipp, GenPRIDE. Facebook | YouTube

May

• On May 20, Age Friendly Seattle's Civic Coffee Hour focused on Older Americans Month and the local Aging Network, with Dick Woo, chair of the Seattle-King County Advisory Council on Aging & Disability Services; Mary Mitchell, interim director of the Seattle Human Service Department's Aging and Disability Services division (HSD/ADS); and Andrea Yip, ADS planning manager, who presented Older Americans Month 2021 and the work of Aging and Disability Services as the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle-King County. Facebook | YouTube 
  
• Age Friendly Seattle co-sponsored Memory Sunday, an annual event in which faith communities serving people of African descent provide education on Alzheimer's: prevention, treatment, research studies, and caregiving. This year's event on Sunday, May 13, was celebrated by 20 faith communities.
• On May 6, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Aging and Disability Services Advisory Council member Diana Thompson, who is also active with the Hearing Loss Association of America—Washington; Hearing Loss Association-Washington president and Let's Loop Washington founder Cheri Perazzoli; and Dr. Brad Ingrao, an audiologist. Facebook | YouTube | Better Hearing Month in Seattle Proclamation
• Age Friendly Seattle was included in Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan's 2021 Older Americans Month in Seattle proclamation.
• The May issue of AgeWise included:
  • "Communities of Strength: Staying Connected and Supporting Others," an article by Keri Pollock, who serves on the Age Friendly Coalition for Seattle and King County.
  • "Age-Friendly Outreach to Immigrants Lands a National Award," an article about Age Friendly Seattle's live online programs and commitment to language access and multicultural outreach.

April

• On April 28, Age Friendly Seattle (Brent Butler, Lenny Orlov, Meg Woolfe, Gheeda Hamam, and Irene Stewart) met with representatives from the other age-friendly communities in Washington state-Renton, Tacoma, and Puyallup-in an online meeting coordinated by Amanda Frame, AARP Washington.
• On April 15, Age Friendly Seattle Coordinator Lenny Orlov and AARP Washington Associate State Director for Communications Bruce Carlson presented "Lights, Camera, Interaction! How to Engage Diverse Audiences With Video on Social Media" at the American Society on Aging's On Aging 2021 conference.
• The April 15 Civic Coffee Hour featured Emily Alvarado, director of the Seattle Office of Housing. Facebook | YouTube video (pending)
• On April 9, the American Society on Aging presented its Award for Excellence in Multicultural Aging, which recognizes high-quality, innovative programs enhancing the lives of a multicultural aging population, to Age Friendly Seattle for demonstrated success in intentional outreach to immigrant elders and innovation in meeting their language needs at live in-person and online events.
• From April 6–15, Age Friendly Seattle Coordinator Lenny Orlov's poster, "Won't You Be My SUBSCRIBER? Taking a Page Out of Mr. Rogers' Playbook for Reaching Diverse Audiences on YouTube," was on exhibit during the American Society on Aging's On Aging 2021 conference.
• On April 1, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience featured Jay Woolford from SHAG (Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations) and Sara Sisco from Hopelink Mobility Management. Facebook | YouTube
• The April issue of AgeWise included "A Swiss Army Knife for Affordable Housing," an article by former Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, about homesharing-one of the housing options named in Moving Toward Age-Friendly Housing in King County, a report commissioned during the first year of the Age Friendly Seattle initiative.

March

• On March 12, Close to Home featured Nura Adam, executive director of the Immigrant Women's Community Center.  Facebook | YouTube
• On March 1, Age Friendly Seattle published its 2020 Annual Report. Among those highlights, 6,440 people participated in Age Friendly Live events (Civic Coffee Hours, Close to Home: Stories of Health, Tech & Resilience, and LGBTQ Health and Wellness forums, plus several special events) or viewed videorecordings of the events online.
• The March issue of AgeWise included:
  • Age Friendly Seattle Increases Access and Inclusion Despite COVID, by Brent Butler, Age Friendly Seattle

  • Addressing Disability and Age Discrimination: Fighting Judgment of the Outside with Compassion for the Inside, by Sally Bagshaw, Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative (former Seattle City Council member)

  • AARP Wants to Know About Your Quick-Action Community Improvement Project, by Amanda Frame, AARP Washington

February

• The Civic Coffee Hour on February18 featured Mariko Lockhart and Mike Chin, Seattle Office for Civil Rights. Facebook | YouTube
• On February 4, Close to Home recognized Black History Month with featured speaker Omari Salisbury, co-founder of Converge Media, a Central Area independent media company bringing voices and perspectives of Seattle African American community. Facebook | YouTube

January

• On January 27, Age Friendly Seattle (Brent Butler, Lenny Orlov, and Irene Stewart) met with representatives from the other age-friendly communities in Washington state—Renton, Tacoma, and Puyallup—in an online meeting coordinated by Amanda Frame, AARP Washington.
• The Civic Coffee Hour on January 21 featured Jonna Ward, CEO of The Seattle Public Library Foundation. Flyer | Facebook | YouTube
• On January 20, Irene Stewart include age-friendly communities as part of a presentation to the South End Coalition about AgeWise King County and the Area Agency on Aging.
• The January issue of AgeWise included: 
  • Age-Friendly Efforts Continue in a Year of Uncertainty (Christina Clem, AARP Washington)
  • Exciting Changes to 'Age Friendly Live' Virtual Events (Lenny Orlov, Age Friendly Seattle)