Age-Friendly Florida

FL Network Sharing Symposium

In the fall of 2016, Age-Friendly Sarasota — the first community in Florida to join the World Health Organization’s Global Network and AARP’s National Network of Age-Friendly Communities — hosted age-friendly communities throughout the state in a Sharing Symposium supported by The Patterson Foundation.

Partnering with AARP Florida, connecting, learning, and sharing took center stage at the two-day event. Sessions included “Weaving age-friendly into the fabric of your community,” “Sharing promising practices,” and “Together co-creating an Age-Friendly Florida.” Synergy flowed as each community shared their own goals, accomplishments, and challenges.

Most importantly, an Age-Friendly Florida Network emerged under the coordination and support of AARP Florida — setting a model for the rest of the country. Collectively our communities are now becoming part of the solution, pioneering new ways to address the challenges ahead. The Age-Friendly Florida Network is building upon our communities’ assets and aspirations to optimize active, healthy, and engaged living for all ages. As communities and individuals, in the self-declared epicenter of an aging world, we can have lasting positive influence and impact on the longevity revolution as we take responsibility and action for shaping our common future.

Since its inaugural year, the annual Sharing Symposium—organized by AARP—provides a forum that encourages communities to highlight their innovative practices to help strengthen the network and further age-friendliness.

• Sept 2016 – Sarasota
• Dec 2017 – St Petersburg
• May 2018 – St. Petersburg
• May 2019 — Miami