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Fall 2018

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Long Beach Health Aging Center<br />

identify and recommend strategies<br />

for making the City of Long Beach<br />

a livable community that promotes<br />

the health and wellbeing of older<br />

adults and residents of all ages.<br />

In the next two decades, the number<br />

of adults’ ages 65 and older<br />

will increase from 15% to 22%<br />

nationally. In fact, the year 2035<br />

will mark the first time in U.S.<br />

history that older adults will outnumber<br />

children. It is the vision<br />

that both the LB Healthy Aging<br />

Center and Age-Friendly Consortium<br />

partners will work together<br />

to better plan and prepare for the<br />

growing aging population through<br />

innovative strategies that promote<br />

improved outcomes and build<br />

communities that are committed<br />

to giving residents of all ages the<br />

opportunity to live rewarding, productive,<br />

and safe lives.<br />

What do you hope to accomplish:<br />

Through my work I hope to engage<br />

different people, highlight<br />

5 | AgeWell Long Beach | <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />

older adults’ diverse interests,<br />

needs and contributions and help<br />

inform a more balanced discussion<br />

around aging and<br />

older adults. There is currently such<br />

a negative and narrow view of aging<br />

in America.<br />

However, there are other cities in<br />

the US and Countries that have adopted<br />

an age-friendly mindset and<br />

have implemented local<br />

initiatives to better engage<br />

and build on the assets<br />

and contributions of all its<br />

residents. As more Long Beach<br />

residents live longer lives, the city<br />

will grow in its resources—with<br />

more residents with stronger buying<br />

power, career expertise, lived<br />

experience, and diverse skills and<br />

interests, wisdom and experience.<br />

We will draw upon successful age<br />

friendly projects that could be replicated<br />

in Long Beach.<br />

Mercedes Perezchica,<br />

Aging Services Program Manager<br />

Health and Human Services<br />

AgeWell Long Beach | <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2018</strong> | 6

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