70+ Mayors Sign Milken Institute “Best Cities for Successful Aging” Mayor’s Pledge

Campaign continues as city leaders commit to creating opportunity for older adults to thrive – and contribute

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. mayors are pledging to improve the lives of older adults and to enable them to improve lives for people of all ages by signing the Milken Institute’s Best Cities for Successful Aging Mayor’s Pledge. The pledge comes from the Institute’s Best Cities for Successful Aging Advisory Committee, an important group of thought leaders and experts who are advising the Institute in its work research on aging. See the Pledge here: http://www.milkeninstitute.org/publications/view/662

“With the overwhelming majority of Americans preferring to age in place, making our cities better places for aging is a priority,” says Milken Institute President Paul Irving. “Cities can be engines of innovation and change, and that’s why we are asking mayors to commit to making cities work for older adults and help create a brighter future for all ages.”

By signing the pledge, mayors are agreeing to take such steps as increasing housing, health and transportation options that suit this population’s varied needs. They are also committing to providing opportunities for older adults to work for their city, through volunteer activity and encore careers across the government, nonprofit and private sectors.

Next month the Institute will recognize and publicly highlight mayors who have signed the pledge in conjunction with the publication of the 2014 edition of Best Cities for Successful Aging. Launched in 2012, the report measures, compares and ranks U.S. metropolitan areas for their capacity to enable successful aging. The methodology makes use of publicly available data on health care, wellness, living arrangements, financial well-being, transportation, employment and educational opportunities and community engagement.

The list of cities whose mayors have signed so far:

Akron, OH	Battle Creek, MI	Casper, WY
Allentown, PA	Bloomington, IL	Cedar Rapids, IA
Apache Junction, AZ	Boise, ID	Chicago, IL
Austin, TX	Boston, MA	Cleveland, TN
Barnstable-Hyannis, MA	Canton, OH	Columbia, SC
Columbia, MO	Kansas City, MO	Rochester, NY
Columbus, OH	Kennewick, WA	Salt Lake City, UT
Dayton, OH	Kirkland, WA	San Antonio, TX
Deltona, FL	Lafayette, IN	San Francisco, CA
Dubuque, IA	Las Vegas, NV	Scottsdale, AZ
Duluth, MN	Lincoln, NE	Sioux Falls, SD
Durham, NC	Little Rock, AR	Springfield, MA
Eugene, OR	Los Angeles, CA	Springfield, OR
Evanston, IL	Memphis, TN	State College, PA
Fayetteville, AR	Missoula, MT	Syracuse, NY
Flint, MI	Morgantown, WV	Torrance, CA
Fountain Hills, AZ	Myrtle Beach, SC	Tualatin, OR
Gainesville, GA	Nashua, NH	Tucson, AZ
Harrisburg, PA	Ocala, FL	Tulsa, OK
Hartford, CT	Philadelphia, PA	Valdosta, GA
Honolulu, HI	Pittsburgh, PA	Washington DC
Hot Springs, AK	Provo, UT	Wichita, KS
Houston, TX	Rapid City, SD	York, PA
Irvine, CA	Riverside, CA
Jonesboro, AR	Rochester, MN

“Enabling successful aging is a central issue of urban communities and municipal leaders,” says Irving. “The Best Cities for Successful Aging Mayor’s Pledge unites mayors in a commitment to enhance life for the largest-ever population of older adults in the U.S., and to ensure a better future for residents of all ages. We’re very pleased that more mayors across America are signing the Pledge every day.”

About the Milken Institute

A nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, the Milken Institute’s mission is to improve lives around the world by advancing innovative economic and policy solutions that create jobs, widen access to capital and enhance health.
www.milkeninstitute.org
@milkeninstitute