Ralston Center, a nonprofit provider of senior services, collaborated with over fifty stakeholder groups, including community organizations, academic institutions, and city government, to develop its Age-Friendly West Philadelphia Initiative and create positive age-friendly change. Advisory committees helped developed programs on resource access and navigation, social connection, and improvements to public spaces. Ralston teamed with a local civic organization and two artist-led organizations to conduct a walkability audit, design outdoor furniture, and improve accessibility in a high-poverty neighborhood. Volunteers documented improvements needed to facilitate neighborhood walkability, identified locations for benches specifically designed for older residents, and locate appropriate wayfinding signs that highlight and honor community assets. Intergenerational design sessions, fabrication sessions and a community celebration follow, engaging and empowering older residents at each phase. The ongoing project informs age-friendly endeavors in a high-poverty urban area, and leads to new partnerships to benefit the community at large.
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