About Age-Friendly

In 2019, Executive Shapiro announced Summit County would join communities across the nation in becoming an AARP Age-Friendly Community. We officially applied and were accepted into the Age-Friendly Network in January 2020. 

By 2030, we expect seniors will account for more than 30% of Summit County’s total population. While Summit County currently maintains a strong social service system, more can be done to strengthen this system to ensure it can handle increased utilization.

We aim to achieve our goal of making Summit County livable for all people, and in doing so, earn the Age-Friendly designation from AARP. To do this, we must demonstrate steps taken to become a place where people of all ages, income levels and abilities can thrive. We will engage in the Age-Friendly Process and Program Cycle, a five-year process that requires completing a county-wide survey and listening sessions, developing an action and evaluation plan, implementing the action plan, and finally, evaluating and setting new goals. We will focus on AARP’s 8 Domains of Livability: Outdoor and Public Spaces, Transportation, Housing, Social Participation, Respect and Social Inclusion, Work and Civic Engagement, Communications and Information and Community and Health Services.

Strategic Plan

In early 2022,  Age-Friendly Summit County  finalized its strategic plan. This document, developled collaboratively with residents, professionals and the Advisory Council, will guide the next three years of the five year Age-Friendly process. If you believe every person in Summit County should be able to age as they wish, in the place of their choosing, and with ample avenues to remain engaged in their community, County Executive invites you to join us as we make this vision a reality. 

Age-Friendly Advisory Council

To help complete the Age-Friendly process, Executive Shapiro convened the Summit County Age-Friendly Advisory Council. Below are the members of the council. 

Chair: Sue Sigmon, Direction Home Akron Canton

Outdoor Spaces and Public Places: Lisa King, Summit Metro Parks

Transportation: Dawn Distler, Metro RTA

Housing: Jamie McMillen, Akron Cleveland Association of Realtors

Social Participation: Carrie Snyder, City of Cuyahoga Falls

Respect and Social Inclusion: Shorter Griffin, Barberton City Council/Kiwanis

Work and Civic Engagement: Ted Watko, VANTAGE Aging

Communications and Information: Tanya Kahl, United Way 211

Community and Health Services: Donna Barrett, Summit County Public Health 

Advisor: John Garofalo, Akron Community Foundation

Advisor: Harvey Sterns, University of Akron

Learn More

• Age-Friendly Strategic Plan (PDF, 10943.0k)
• Age-Friendly Community Needs Assessment (PDF, 1389.1k)
• AARP Age-Friendly Page (Link)
• Age Friendly Summit Application (Link)
• Age Friendly September 2020 Update Video (Link)

Contact Us

AgeFriendly@SummitOH.net