AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, social welfare organization with a membership of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families—such as health care, employment security and retirement planning.  AARP has offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

As the U.S. population ages and people stay healthy and active longer, communities must adapt. The AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities helps participating communities become great places for all ages by adopting such features as safe, walkable streets; better housing and transportation options; access to key services; and opportunities for residents to participate in community activities.

The AARP Network is an affiliate of the World Health Organization’s Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. The network launched in 2012 with 6 members there are now over 65 members covering over 32 million US residents  (see the current Member List and a map of showing our member communities here.)  To access our wide range of resources across the ‘8 domains of livability’, including our age-friendly toolkit please visit www.aarp.org/livable

AARP works with local officials and partner organizations around the country to identify communities for membership and facilitates the community’s enrollment, supporting representatives through the network’s implementation and assessment process.

Members of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities benefit from:

• Automatic entry to the WHO global network.
• A wide range of free resources on age-friendly and livable communities
• The latest news and information about best practices, events, results, challenges and new initiatives
• Opportunities for partnerships with other cities, both domestic and international
• Peer to Peer learning opportunities
• Public recognition of the community’s commitment to become more age-friendly