The number of aging adults, or adults who are 60 years of age and older, is growing in Forsyth County, North Carolina. This trend in population dynamics was recognized in 2015 by four prominent CEOs within the corporate and healthcare community – BB&T (now Truist), Hanesbrands, Reynolds American, and Wake Forest Baptist Health. In a meeting with leadership from Senior Services, the group determined the need to gain more information to address the following questions: “When you think of an age-friendly community, what comes to mind? What needs to be improved to make Forsyth County the place to live your best life?”

Shortly after, a collaborative research process began. Over 50 organizational staff members from corporate, educational, healthcare, non-profit, and philanthropic sectors, along with community members and aging advocates, came together for a year-long effort to collect views and perspectives on aging in Forsyth County. The Community Report on Aging was released in May of 2017 and included a snapshot of the state of aging in Forsyth County. The data collected also established a baseline from which future growth could be measured. The Community Report on Aging served as one of the most comprehensive looks at aging adult perspectives that Forsyth County has had in recent history.

Following the release of Forsyth County’s Community Report on Aging , attention shifted to priority-setting and determining where to begin.

Over 30 leaders from organizations involved in the collaborative research process, along with community members and aging advocates came together for a year of planning. The overwhelming amount of data that was collected during the research phase pointed to a need for a more formal structure and process from which community improvements, age-friendly, and livability work could stem. Without question – community members, aging adults who are living the life day to day needed to be at the center and in the driver’s seat of any age-friendly work that would take place. This led to the development of Age-Friendly Forsyth.

In May of 2018, Age-Friendly Forsyth successfully worked with Forsyth County Commissioners and joined the AARP/WHO Network of Age-Friendly Communities. Forsyth County leaders recognized the importance of encouraging and promoting age-friendly planning and policies to address changing demographics, and has committed to a process of continual improvement to support active and healthy aging to create a community where people can live their best lives. Age-Friendly Forsyth serves as Forsyth County’s approach to age-friendly and livable community work