Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging: The Brazos Valley

There is growing recognition that bridging smart growth and active aging principles together can create aging friendly communities. This presentation will describe the processes involved in launching the Brazos Valley Building Healthy Communities Coalition (BVBHCC). The EPA's self management assessment and resource tool for Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging was utilized to gauge the status of ongoing plans and activities. Community champions called together a series of community meetings to discuss the broader community's interest in giving priority to this initiative. Attendance was widespread and included representatives from aging services, faith-based groups, health care, community planners, elected officials, academic partners, and others. Having a strong leader in the aging services network that was co-located in the regional planning office was seen as a major community asset. An early decision was made to promote activities on a regional basis and to choose projects to indicate the breadth of activities throughout the county. These included: 1) a community wide-assessment of the health status and activity patterns of residents; 2) a census of available activity programs in the surrounding rural areas; 3) a county wide alternative transportation service; 4) a downtown revitalization district; and 4) a recreation development area. The award process and its successful outcome have galvanized community efforts, with the BVBHCC now designated as a working group under the regional planning authority. Having received a commitment award, the BVCHCC is now eligible for technical assistance which should help expand and institutionalize future activities for promoting a more aging friendly community.