Out & About in RI: Seniors gather for Pawtucket Joining AARP’s Age-Friendly Network

The City of Pawtucket has joined the AARP Age-Friendly Network of states and communities. The formal announcement was held today, Tuesday, September 30th, at noon at the Leon Mathieu Senior Center (420 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI). In September 2023, the Pawtucket City Council passed a resolution to support activities and initiatives to engage in the AARP Age-Friendly Cities and Communities network.

The Age-Friendly Network helps participating communities engage with older adults and their caregivers through comprehensive surveys and assessments. Based on the feedback received, communities develop an action plan to become great places for people of all ages by adopting features such as safe, walkable streets; better housing and transportation options; access to key services; and opportunities for residents to participate in civic and community activities.

Pawtucket joins Newport, Cranston, Providence, Westerly, and Bristol in the growing number of Rhode Island’s Age-Friendly Network communities.

The livability indicators are planned, implemented, and progress assessed in three phases over five years, with continued cycles of assessment and improvement thereafter.

“The City of Pawtucket is excited to collaborate with older residents and their caregivers living in our city to ensure their needs are being met,” said Donald R. Grebien, Mayor of the City of Pawtucket. “Through the Leon Mathieu Senior Center, we provide comprehensive services and activities that promote physical, mental, and social well-being, and I look forward to taking those efforts a step further to hear directly from our community about how we can enhance their quality of life even further.”

“AARP is pleased to welcome Pawtucket as the newest member of the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities,” said AARP Rhode Island State Director Catherine Taylor. “Pawtucket’s civic leaders will gain access to global resources and information on age-friendly best practices, assessment and implementation models, and the experiences of towns and cities worldwide.”

“Age-Friendly Rhode Island is proud to partner with Pawtucket’s leadership and residents to develop an intentional plan for healthy aging, through the city’s membership in AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. We applaud Pawtucket for making the well-being of older adults a priority through completing AARP’s gold-standard process. This will earn Pawtucket automatic entry into the World Health Organization’s Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities, inspire other Rhode Island communities to follow suit, and send a clear message that meeting the needs of its aging population is of great importance to city leadership and residents. Congratulations to all from team Age-Friendly RI!” said Jim Connell, Executive Director of Age-Friendly RI.

“LISC’s work in the HEZ has been to help local residents lift their voices and find ways to offer support,” said Jeanne Cola, Senior Executive Director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Rhode Island. “Senior services have always been a community priority. We are so grateful to Point32Health for supporting this initiative. They are true partners in the investment in expanding senior engagement solutions.”

Thank yous were given out to the community organizations for their work with the Age-Friendly Pawtucket Task Force: Pawtucket Senior Citizens Council; Pawtucket Commission on Arts & Culture; Blackstone Valley Community Action Program; Blackstone Health, Inc.; Blackstone Valley Prevention Coalition; and Gateway Healthcare/Brown University Health.