Like many other cities, Brooklyn Park’s population is aging.
More than 20 percent of the city’s population was 55 or older in 2016, up from 12.5 percent in 2000.
A resident-led Task Force on Aging laid the groundwork for this work in 2014 and 2015, developing recommendations for how the City could better support older residents. The health and wellbeing of older adults again emerged as a priority through the development of Brooklyn Park 2025, a community planning process in 2016, and the experience of older adults remained a priority during the process that led to the creation of the Jewel of the North community plan in 2025.
What is an age-friendly community?
In an age-friendly community, policies, services and structures related to the physical and social environment are designed to support and enable older people to “age actively” – that is, to live in security, enjoy good health and continue to participate fully in society.
Age-friendly service providers, public officials, community leaders, faith leaders and business people:
- Recognize the great diversity among older persons,
- Promote their inclusion and contribution in all areas of community life,
- Respect their decisions and lifestyle choices, and
- Anticipate and respond flexibly to aging-related needs and preferences.
What is Brooklyn Park doing to serve aging residents?
Throughout 2018, the Task Force on Aging worked to better understand what older residents in Brooklyn Park want and need, and to help the City determine how best to respond to these needs.