Welcome to the student orientation for the Age-Friendly Innovation Center (AFIC), home of Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County.
We are so glad you are here!
Our work is important. We are experiencing population aging like never before. Take your time working through the content, watching the videos, and listening to the podcasts. There is a lot of information, but this foundation will provide you a basic understanding of the work and history of AFIC. You will see Age-Friendly Innovation Center and Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County used interchangeably throughout this orientation.
By 2050, more than 20% of the world’s population will be age 60 or older. Because of that, many cities, towns and communities across the globe are already working to address the needs of their older residents and prepare for future generations. AARP International looked at efforts in the United States and worldwide to identify projects and programs that are worth sharing and, when possible, replicating.
Central Ohio’s 65+ population is expected to double in the next 35 years. This poses a great opportunity for the region to ensure that as people age and their abilities change, Columbus is able to provide easy access to services, amenities, and opportunities.
The mission of AFIC is to innovate with older adults through research, education and engagement to ensure inclusion and build resiliency to make communities more age-friendly. This will be achieved through collaborating with the Ohio State College of Social Work and interdisciplinary faculty, students and community partners. AFIC continues to prioritize the contributions of older residents to improve social, built and health environments that support livability for people of all ages and abilities.
Having a basic understanding of aging demographics, appropriate language choices, and local, state, and federal services is an important baseline for all students engaged with Age-Friendly. The following pages will walk through these topics.
Before moving forward, please watch this video by former AFIC Director, Katie White, as she encourages us to redefine how we age through passion and purpose.