Last updated: 4/26/23

Age-friendly Boston

We want to create an environment in which older adults can continue to lead healthy and productive lives in Boston.

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The Age-Friendly Boston project works with the City’s public agencies, businesses, cultural, educational, and religious institutions, and community groups. We're challenging them to consider how they can change policy and practices to enhance the quality of life for our residents.

Our dementia-friendly work is embedded in our Age-Friendly action plan. You’ll see dementia-friendly items throughout the plan, signified by an asterisk.

Initiatives

Age-friendly benches

Our program aims to improve public spaces and address the lack of benches in Boston.

Age-friendly Boston achievements: Year 2

Learn about the work accomplished during the second year of the Age-Friendly Boston Action Plan.

Age-friendly businesses

Learn about age-friendly and dementia-friendly businesses, and how to certify your company.

Age-friendly walks

We have a map of outdoor walking locations for older adults in the City of Boston.

Food Access maps

Find healthy and affordable food in the City of Boston.

Intergenerational Homeshare Pilot

We’re offering affordable housing to graduate students while helping local homeowners and communities.

Job resources for seniors

Get connected to job and re-training programs in the City of Boston.

Age-friendly Boston achievements: Year 1

Learn about the work accomplished during the first year of the Age-Friendly Boston Action Plan.

Older Workers Report

Explore the employment challenges and opportunities for older workers in Boston.

Public restrooms in the City of Boston

We created an interactive map and a list of public restrooms by neighborhood.

Senior Civic Academy

Curriculum includes aging policy, advocacy training and meetings with local, state, and federal administrators and elected officials.

Keys to Implementing Age-Friendly Action

The Age-Friendly Boston Initiative has been implementing action items for three years. In that time, a lot has been accomplished and even more has been learned along the way.

Action Plan key domains

Housing

Transportation

Outdoor Spaces and Buildings

Community Support and Health Services

Civic Engagement and Employment

Social Participation

Respect and Social Inclusion

Communication and Information

Action Plan at a glance

What is the Age-Friendly Action Plan?

What does it mean to be an age-friendly city? It means a city that adapts its structures and services to be accessible and inclusive to residents of all ages and abilities. The Age-Friendly Boston Action Plan is our City’s blueprint to make Boston the best city to live and age in. The plan details 75 concrete action items the City will take to become even more age friendly.

Intersecting Initiatives

The Age-Friendly Action Plan is part of comprehensive planning efforts on the part of the City and will be integrated into the other processes. These plans are re-enforcing and reflecting each other where there is synergy.

Our Philosophy and Process

The age-friendly process has been a grassroots effort and a bottom-up approach. Our action items came directly out of the diverse voices from Boston’s neighborhoods, ages 50 and over. Since this is a three-year Action Plan, we have included action items that we are confident can be completed within this time with interdepartmental support and community partners. We will continue to refine and build on other ideas generated through this process.

Domains and Topics of Interest

The Action Plan touches on topics of significant impact, such as dementia, economic insecurity, and social isolation. Action items fall under the eight key domains listed above.

Now is the Time

The Age-Friendly Action Plan challenges all of us — public agencies, private sectors, cultural institutions — to think differently about aging. We believe Boston is and will continue to be a city for all ages.

By the Numbers: