Buncombe County, North Carolina Print

Joined the AARP Age-Friendly Network:
8/10/2017

Lead Agency: Buncombe County Aging Coordinating Consortium (ACC)

Age-Friendly Taskforce/Advisory Council/Commission

Action Plan Download

An action plan is based on the results of community surveys identifying needs within the 8 Domains of Livability that influence the health and quality of life of older adults. While there is flexibility in how a plan is created and what it will do, every action plan includes a statement about what can be achieved, target dates for goal completion, identification of participating organizations and indicators to measure progress. The action plan is an "active" rather than static document. Revisions and amendments are a sign of program improvement and progress.

Action Plan Highlights

  1. Housing

    Create more housing choices for older adults and encourage aging in place by coordinating across diverse stakeholder communities.

  2. Civic Participation and Employment

    Build new job opportunities for older adults by educating employers about the benefits of hiring and engaging older workers, providing networking and skill-building opportunities for older adults through job fairs, and holding lunch and learn events in support of creating a more experienced workforce.

  3. Respect and Inclusion

    Bolster existing initiatives, such as Friends Against Fraud, the Elder Abuse Case Review Multidisciplinary Team, and bi-annual professional networking and capacity-building events, to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Progress Report Download

Buncombe County's age-friendly action plan, completed in 2020, aligned its goals with the County's most recent strategic plan. The community's age-friendly progress report highlights how the County and partner organizations, work groups and volunteers have worked since then to ensure residents are safe, healthy and engaged. Through the addition of a traffic circle and street art, the community aimed to improve pedestrian safety. Additionally, the County trained transit providers on how to make their services dementia-friendly. Working with local partners, the also community launched an affordable homeownership program focused on enabling aging in place.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Buncombe County Recreation Services (2019)

Asheville, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: After Buncombe County Recreation Services installed new instruments in Charles D. Owen Park -- including lily pad cymbals, a tenor tree, tuned drums and flower gongs -- park attendance increased nearly 20 percent in one year. The instruments, created by the Freenotes Harmony Park company, don't include sharps or flats and are designed to be played using arm and hand muscles rather than fingers. That way, people of all musical abilities can play them without training. More than 400 people also participated in three workshops focused on designing artistic tiles for the new space with themes of compassion, peace and diversity. The creation of the Real Possibilities musical garden sparked new projects, including the park's first TRACK Trail (self-guided, family-friendly outdoor adventures with prizes), enhanced sports courts and bird nest boxes that allow researchers to study tree swallows.

Madison County (2024)

Marshall, NC

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024

Project Category: Park enhancements

Description: The county will install outdoor exercise equipment and create a community space geared toward older adult residents. The county currently has no gyms or fitness centers with adult exercise equipment.

ABOUT THE AARP COMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Launched in 2017, the annual AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to local governments and nonprofits in order to fund quick-action, ready-to-implement projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages.

See all nearby projects

LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED

Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages

Visit AARP.ORG/LIVABLE
people icon

Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities

Check out the Livable Library
download icon

Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter

Subscribe now!
mail icon

Connect with your AARP State Office

AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

AARP North Carolina State Office

5511 Capital Center Drive
Suite 400
Raleigh, NC 27606
United States

Phone: 866-389-5650
Fax: 919-755-9684
Email: [email protected]