SWAMPSCOTT — Swampscott is one step closer to becoming an age-friendly community.
The All Ages Committee is hosting a community forum on Sunday, as part of the research needs assessment being completed by the University of Massachusetts-Boston’s Gerontology Institute and Center for Social & Demographic Research in Aging. The $30,000 assessment was approved at Town Meeting last May.
“This forum is the very first component of the needs assessment research,” said Bob Powell, co-chair of the committee. “The idea behind it is that UMass-Boston will present demographic information about the town of Swampscott.”
From 2 to 4 p.m., the forum will be held in the high school’s auditorium.
Dr. Caitlin Coyle, from the university, will present the demographic research at the forum. Afterwards, she will facilitate an open discussion with residents. The different age groups in town and the varied medical conditions are just a few of the items to be discussed at the forum, said Powell.
In January, the committee had two dozen members of residents from different professions. Now, according to Powell, the committee has 40 members.
“It really shows we tapped a nerve,” Powell said. “People really care about this community and keeping aging in place.”
The committee is in place to implement a five-year plan to make Swampscott an age-friendly, age-ready community. Powell, along with his fellow co-chair, Heidi Whear, hope the forum will give Coyle a chance to hear the community’s concerns regarding the eight domains of livability, which include outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, and community and health services. Powell said the committee is working on being divided into sub-committees designated to each of the domains.
Coyle will deliver her early impressions to the 40-person committee on the feedback she received from the residents the Wednesday following the forum. Next up on the assessment timeline will be a survey that goes out to everyone living in town.
“We are rolling right along,” Powell said. “The money was approved last May and less than one year later and we are up and running.”