The Mayor’s Committee on Aging has worked for 45 years to promote concerns of seniors in the City, thereby making the city more age-friendly. Here are some ways in which Orlando is age friendly, and some initiatives to make it more so:
Recreation and Socializing with other Seniors: Beardall and L. Claudia Allen Senior Centers offer free activities six days a week, providing opportunities for fitness, recreation, lifelong learning, and building social connections. In addition, seven neighborhood centers offer daily or weekly senior programs, allowing older adults to connect with their neighbors. From kickboxing and kung fu to art classes and balance training, the Mark Street Senior Center, run by Orange County, offers a variety of senior classes on the near north side of downtown. Orlando is home to 148 parks, gardens, recreation areas, neighborhood centers and playgrounds, including the 50-acre Leu Gardens, a botanical oasis minutes from downtown. Abundant lakes (over 100) provide scenic walkways as well as boating and fishing. Currently, 63% of residents live within 10 minutes of a park. The City has committed to the 10minutewalk campaign to increase this to 100% by adopting a master parks plan by 2022 with significant public input that would ensure that all residents have access to parks. Blessed with year-round sunshine and subtropical climate, residents can easily enjoy these outdoor amenities year-round.
Services for Seniors: Orlando has an abundance of nonprofit and government agencies which provide needed services for seniors, including the Senior Resource Alliance, which coordinates services for elders in the 4-county area; Orange County Office on Aging; Volunteers for Community Impact, which empowers seniors to volunteer; Lighthouse Central Florida, which provides independent living skills for visually impaired elders; Share the Care, which provides in-home respite care; Guardian Care Nursing & Rehabilitation Services; and Seniors First, which provides Meals on Wheels. Many of these organizations are supported by grants from the City of Orlando’s Community Investment Program, which provided $337,000 in grants for senior programs in 2018-19.
Housing Opportunities: The City assists homeowners who qualify with home repairs and energy improvements to reduce code violations and improve energy efficiency. Seniors who may be on a fixed income and no longer working may find it difficult to make needed repairs or pay high up-front costs for energy improvements. Seniors First nonprofit assists adults age 60+ with support and services to live at home as long as possible, including providing Meals on Wheels. For those seeking a higher level of care, Orlando Lutheran Towers Foundation offers financial assistance to qualifying members of the Orlando Senior Health Life Care Community. The City is expanding its investments in affordable housing. Recently, LIFT Orlando and Columbia Residential broke ground on a $23.5 million affordable senior apartment community close to downtown with support from the City. Over 75% of the Orlando Housing Authority’s 6,141 rental units are located in the City. New condominium developments in the downtown area also provide housing opportunities for seniors and others who desire to live in an accessible environment, close to Orlando’s rich cultural and recreation amenities.
Transportation: Transit options in Orlando are growing. Orlando boasts a free downtown bus service called Lymmo that shuttles passengers around downtown, stopping at downtown senior high-rises, the public library, grocery store, bank, courthouse, post office, performing arts center, sporting arenas and more. The Sunrail commuter rail service provides an alternate way to get downtown easily for those who may be reluctant to drive in traffic from DeBary or Poinciana to downtown Orlando. Seniors 65 and over qualify for a 50% discount. New rail service through Virgin Trains/Brightline will connect Orlando to Miami and Tampa. While Orlando’s walkability score has been average, the City is working to improve walkability and bikeability with a new pedestrian bridge over Hwy. 50 and by completing the Orlando Urban Trail. New development in Baldwin Park, Downtown South, Creative Village and the Packing District all emphasize pedestrian and bike-friendly development, where residents can live, work, learn and play in their neighborhood. Orlando is committed to becoming a more pedestrian-friendly city, partnering with Best Foot Forward to implement Vision Zero, an initiative to reduce pedestrian fatalities and injuries to zero by 2040.
Lifelong Learning: Orlando’s Creative Village plan includes a downtown campus of Valencia College and the University of Central Florida. Adults age 60 and over can audit classes at either institution for free on a space-available basis. Orange County offers a free monthly LIFE Information for Elders Seminar Series at the Orlando Public Library; lunch is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Five city library locations offer free wifi, public computers and technology classes; NextChapter program series for older adults; free home delivery service for books, and audio books and selected DVDs. The downtown library boasts the Melrose Center for Creativity, Technology and Innovation with a recording studio, video studio, photo studio, simulators, 3D printers, sewing studio, and classes to learn to use the equipment, all of which is free for Orlando residents. The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts hosts world-class cultural performances; the center is in the process of developing a new educational series geared towards seniors interested in the arts. The City has supported Central Florida Community Arts which offers arts and wellness programs for older adults.
City Services: The City of Orlando offers free recycling and trash carts for every house. Carts are easily wheeled and don’t require lifting. Upon request, elderly residents and residents with disabilities can leave their carts by their house and solid waste pick-up staff will wheel it to the curb. The City is updating its website so residents can easily request city services using a computer or smart phone. Recently, the City initiated the Downtown Ambassadors program. Ambassadors provide a friendly presence on downtown streets seven days a week, providing directions, safety escorts, reporting suspicious activity and ensuring that our downtown area is clean; police offers conduct bike patrols, improving public safety downtown. The Orlando Fire Department offers free blood pressure checks and glucose testing at fire stations and health fairs, as well as free smoke alarms; their Elderlinks program connects seniors to additional services. The Orlando Police Department cooperates with “Seniors vs. Crime,” an initiative started by the Florida Attorney General to eliminate fraud and victimization of seniors by providing pro bono representation in civil cases. Neighborhood Watch and Dog Walker Watch programs improve safety in Orlando neighborhoods. Orange County maintains a special needs registry for those who may need special assistance during a disaster.