Age-Friendly Maryland
Maryland’s designation as an Age-Friendly State by AARP and the World Health Organization marks a pivotal milestone in Longevity Ready Maryland. When local governments, employers, institutions, and organizations embrace age-friendly policies, they improve the lives of community members of every age.
Help Build Maryland’s Age-Friendly EcoSystem
A Call-to-Action for Cross-Sector Collaboration
The John A. Hartford Foundation has defined the following sectors as key to building stronger communities for people of all ages:
- Public Health Systems
- Workplaces
- Home and Community-Based Services
- Communities, Cities, Counties, and States
- Education and Research
- Health Care Systems
Age-Friendly Communities
The AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities supports the work of local, regional and state governments that have made a commitment to being more livable for people of all ages across 8 Domains of Livability. By equipping local leaders with resources for assessing needs, improving access to services, and increasing opportunities for participation, AARP helps communities develop an action plan that benefits residents of all ages.
8 Domains of Livability
- Outdoor Spaces & Buildings
- Transportation
- Housing
- Social Participation
- Respect & Social Inclusion
- Work & Civic Engagement
- Communication & Information
- Community & Health Services
Maryland’s Age-Friendly Communities
Join AARP's Age-Friendly Network
Age-Friendly Universities
The Age-Friendly University Global Network is a consortium of higher education institutions committed to promoting healthy aging and enhancing the lives of older members of the global community through innovative educational programs, research agendas, curriculum development, online education, health and wellness activities, arts and culture programs, and civic engagement opportunities. Maryland currently has three participating university systems: Towson University, University of Maryland Baltimore, and University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Ten Principles of an Age-Friendly University
- Encourage participation of older adults in core activities.
- Promote personal and career development in the second half of life.
- Recognize educational needs inclusive of a diverse range of educational backgrounds.
- Promote intergenerational learning.
- Widen access to online educational opportunities for older adults.
- Ensure research is informed by the needs of an aging society.
- Increase understanding of the societal benefits of aging.
- Enhance access to health and cultural programs for older adults.
- Engage with the university’s retired community.
- Ensure regular dialogue with organizations representing older adults.
Join the Age-Friendly University Global Network
Age-Friendly Health Systems
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement offers evidenced-based guidance and resources on ways care teams can implement the “4Ms” best-practices in caring for older adults. Resources are available for hospitals, ambulatory service providers, nursing home care providers, emergency departments, surgery staff, convenient care clinics, home health providers, pharmacists, and other state-based providers. Maryland’s own Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center is one of only five health systems nationwide named an Age-Friendly Health System Pioneer by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Visit Age-Friendly Health Systems Recognized Health Care Sites for more information.
4Ms Framework
- What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult’s specific health outcome goals and care preferences including, but not limited to, end-of-life care, and across settings of care.
- Medication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medication that doesn’t interfere with What Matters to the older adult, Mobility, or Mentation across settings of care.
- Mentation: Prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression, and delirium across settings of care.
- Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and so What Matters.
Become Recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System
Age-Friendly Employers
The AARP Employer Alliance helps organizations build workplaces where employees of all ages thrive and work together to drive engagement, productivity, and innovation. Members can access Employer Resources, share proven practices, tackle challenges, and unlock the power of multigenerational teams.
Employer Resources
- Educational material to help employers boost the number of qualified candidates, identify gaps in your hiring best practices, and making small changes that can have a big impact.
- Best practices for recruiters and managers to evaluate talent and maximize productivity through the hiring process.
- Resources for creating documents, reducing bias, supporting caregivers, and other age-friendly toolkits.
Join the AARP Employer Alliance
Dementia-Friendly Communities
Dementia Friendly America (DFA) defines a dementia-friendly community as a village, town, city, or county that is informed, safe and respectful of individuals living with dementia, their families and care partners and provides supportive options that foster quality of life. DFA provides technical assistance, sector-specific guidance, training materials, and tools to help communities implement key goals in becoming dementia-friendly. Maryland currently has five Dementia-Friendly Counties: Baltimore County, Frederick County, Howard County, Prince George’s County, and Washington County.
Key Goals Among Dementia-Friendly Communities
- Increasing awareness and understanding of dementia and people living with dementia
- Increasing awareness and understanding of brain health and risk reduction
- Collaborating with public, private, not-for-profit and health care sectors to better serve people living with dementia and care partners
- Addressing the changing needs of people with dementia and care partners
- Creating social and cultural environments that are welcoming to people living with dementia
- Improving the physical environment in public places and systems so that they are dementia friendly