Brooklyn Borough President launches boroughwide age-friendly survey

Brooklyn Borough President launches boroughwide age-friendly survey
Office of Brooklyn Borough President

Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams last week joined the New York Academy of Medicine in launching an age-friendly survey that will be distributed as part of their joint Age-Friendly NYC Neighborhood Initiative.

Adams said the initiative aims to facilitate the inclusion of older persons across the borough by collating information to help the city better serve its diverse communities to make them more inclusive of older adults.

The assessment, which was unveiled at the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)’s Older Americans Month Celebration Fair, held inside Brooklyn Borough Hall, will be sent to community groups, local organizations, senior centers and city and state agencies throughout the borough, Adams said.

He said respondents will be asked a variety of questions on access to community resources, health care needs, housing, parks and green spaces, and other relevant topics.

“We want Brooklyn to be the premier place to spend our golden years, enjoying our families and serving our communities,” Adams said. “That’s why we must ensure that Brooklyn is a place that makes it easy for older adults to stay connected to people who are important to them, providing support to help them stay healthy, active, and age in place.

“An age-friendly Brooklyn will enable our older residents to have a better quality of life by actively participating in community activities, cultural programs, and neighborhood planning,” he added.

Adams said the anonymous and confidential survey asks respondents to answer a range of questions on whether the following services are available in their community on a scale of “very available” to “not available,” including: accessible and clean parks and public areas; adequate police presence to feel safe; benches for resting and sitting; clean and well-maintained sidewalks; appropriate fitness activities; and health services such as primary and specialty care in one’s native language.

“As the secretariat for the Age-Friendly NYC Commission, the New York Academy of Medicine is delighted to partner with Borough President Adams to help make Brooklyn more inclusive of older adults to ensure that people of every age can enjoy all that Brooklyn has to offer,” said Dr. Judith A. Salerno, president of the New York Academy of Medicine.

“The survey we are launching today will assist us in understanding what older Brooklynites love about their neighborhoods and what they see as in need of improvement to ensure their full participation in city life,” she added.

BPL’s Older Americans Month Celebration Fair, held in partnership with Adams, included musical performances, a free opioid overdose prevention training conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), as well as vendors from a variety of public services.

Adams used the occasion to honor Irving Demsky, an 87-year-old veteran who is the oldest full-time staff member at BPL, having worked at 14 different branches over more than 40 years.

“Brooklyn Public Library is a resource for the 50+ community for both intellectual discovery and social connection,” said Linda E. Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the Brooklyn Public Library.

“We’re delighted to work with Borough President Adams and The New York Academy of Medicine to support the age-friendly survey in conjunction with BPL’s Older Americans Month Celebration Fair,” she added.