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Update the Commission on the City’s Age-Friendly designation from AARP and apprise the commission on “next steps”. (Devin Stenhouse, DEI Officer)
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended the Commission is updated on the history and status of South San Francisco Age-Friendly Task Force.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
At the January ’24 Commission meeting, commissioners agreed to prioritize learning more about services provided to senior residents in South San Francisco. In September ’24, commissioners received a presentation on the various programs offered from the Parks and Recreation (P, & R.) Department from its Director and Deputy Director. The presentation included services offered from the seniors’ program, which primarily operates from the Roberta Cerri Teglia Senior Center, as well as programs and discounts offered for seniors from the classes, aquatics, and facilities programs.
At the November ’24 Commission meeting, commissioners expressed a desire to learn more about what senior residents experience in South San Francisco beyond what the P. & R. Department offers. Commissioners expressed a desire to hear directly from senior residents, however, since 2022, the City of South San Francisco’s Age-Friendly Task Force has been in contact with hundreds of senior residents in South San Francisco. The following is a brief history of the task force:
In late 2022, the City developed an Age-Friendly Task Force which was composed of city personnel, elected officials, nonprofit representatives, and SSF residents who were also senior citizens. Over the course of several months, the task force met with a Center for Age Friendly Excellence (CAFÉ) representative who facilitated a series of panel interviews with senior community members with the goal of understanding what life was like (overall) for senior citizens who lived in South San Francisco. The task force then developed a list of projects that were intended to improve the conditions for seniors who lived in South San Francisco. The projects were based on the eight domains of livability which include: outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, and community support/health service. The project list was then ranked by task force members, then tallied, and narrowed down to eight projects. Those projects were then submitted within an application to AARP to join their “age-friendly” community, which was officially approved in 2023.
The City is now in the process of working with CAFÉ representatives to develop an age-friendly action plan. To develop this action plan, the City has hosted two community forums to generate feedback (specifically related to the eight domains of livability) from our senior residents as well as a detailed survey that will be circulated from October ’24 through December ’24. Staff interviews will be conducted in early ’25, and an action plan should be completed and presented to City Council in late ’25.
CONCLUSION
Commissioners will be updated on the City’s Age-Friendly designation from AARP and apprise the commission on “next steps”.