Posted by – Stephanie Carroll, Manager of Business Development and Community Relations

The City of Auburn Hills was recently invited to give a presentation at Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) on what we have accomplished to help address the needs of the growing senior citizen population in our community.  We had the opportunity to interact with other communities who are just beginning their journey in this area.

My colleague Karen Adcock, Director of Senior Services and I discussed how we are making Auburn Hills more accessible to everyone.  We want to be a city where ALL generations feel welcome.  When you are in the business of delivering services, it’s important to understand how those services change over time as it relates to demographic shifts.  Auburn Hills now has more seniors than school-aged kids in our community.

We outlined our work since joining the AARP’s Age-Friendly Network in 2013.  We talk about community engagement, our action plan, and the initiatives our Planning Commission and City Council are making a high priority for Auburn Hills.

It was great to hear from the experts talk about the role of local government and why it is vital in creating an atmosphere where people can age in place.  We know we have work to do, but we are now in a better position to address this important issue.