In August 2021, the Aging Alliance issued a report on poverty among older adults living in the City of Rochester, Poverty in Later Life, in collaboration with Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc. Here’s what we found:
Our Work
Poverty in Later Life
One in five City of Rochester Residents lives below 100% of the Official Poverty Measure
The number of poor older adults in the city is increasing.
The poverty rate is highest for Latinx elders, nearly twice the rate of Black elders.
Recommendations to improve economic security for older adults are included in the Poverty in Later Life report and can also be found in our community’s age-friendly, livable community plan, Creating a Community for a Lifetime.
An Age-friendly, Livable Rochester and Monroe County
In 2018, New York State became the first state to earn an age-friendly designation by joining the AARP Network of Age-friendly States and Communities, and one year later, the City of Rochester and Monroe County joined the network. This began a five-year initiative in our local community, joining other communities around the country and around the world, in working toward a more age-friendly, livable community.
What Makes an Age-Friendly Community?
Quite simply, age-friendly communities allow people of all ages and backgrounds to thrive, enjoy, and have equal access to community amenities and services, such as:
Creating a Community for a Lifetime
The Aging Alliance’s December 2021 report, Creating a Community for a Lifetime: An Action Plan for an Age-friendly/Livable Rochester and Monroe County, provides a blueprint for our community to incorporate age-friendly practices into action, and demonstrates our commitment to older adults who want to remain in Monroe County as they age. Approved by AARP, the report was developed with generous funding by the Monroe County Office for Aging, Rochester Area Community Foundation, and the City of Rochester.
Through 2024 and beyond, the Monroe County Aging Alliance will engage dozens of community partners, including government offices, community-based organizations, and businesses, to carry out the recommendations to create a more age-friendly Monroe County.
Report and Action Plan
Age-Friendly Communications
More of us are living longer, and it’s important to think about how we talk about and write about aging, and how we use images in our communications. Ageism, which is stereotyping based on age, is harmful to both the individual and our society. Recognizing and avoiding ageist language and images contributes to a more age-inclusive, age-friendly community
We offer this free checklist as a reference for communications for and about older adults.
