Abstract
Age-friendly business practices are a vital part of an age-friendly city, especially in relation to the social participation, respect and social inclusion and civic participation and employment topic areas of the World Health Organization Age-Friendly City model (Gonzales & Morrow-Howell, 2009). Age-friendly business practices represent a key way in which individuals can remain active and contributing members of society for as long as possible, which in turn strengthens the economic and social vitality of themselves and the larger community. This evidenced-based project will highlight age-friendly practices that enable older adults to fully access and engage with organizations as both customers and employees in the areas of built environment, visual/print/digital platforms, customer service, organizational culture, and employment practices. Beyond specific practices, however, this presentation will explore the importance of viewing aging-in-place at the level of community through the lens of age-friendly businesses and organizations. Just as we adapt our homes to accommodate our changing needs, so too must agencies adopt practices that support individuals’ ability to participate as fully as possible. In leveraging this integration of the social and economic benefits of age-friendly business practices, age-friendly cities can prove to be sustainable and viable social constructs over the long-term. Gonzales, E. & Morrow-Howell, N. (2009). Productive engagement in aging-friendly communities: A natural intersection. Journal of American Society on Aging, 33(2), 51 – 58.