What is An Age-Friendly Community?

Age-friendly projects have been created around the country. We talk with Marisa Sheldon, Director of Age-Friendly Columbus/Franklin County, and the Age-Friendly Innovation Center about the project's development here in Columbus.

What is the current situation for older adults in Franklin County? What are their needs and requests? The role Age-Friendly has played for Central Ohio has become very important over the past 6 years. We talk about the history of the development of the program. For example, what has been accomplished, and what is the most significant change the program has created?

Development of the Age-Friendly Innovation Center, with The Ohio State University, has accomplished many goals with research, internships, and an increase in students studying aging and gerontology.

What does the future hold for Age-Friendly and the Center? We talk about future local, state, and national plans, and how the Center will be supporting those plans.

Here is a link to the resources mentioned in the episode.

We would love to hear from you.

Give us your feedback, or suggest a topic, by leaving us a voice message.

Email us at [email protected].

Find us on Bluesky and Facebook.

Please review our podcast on Google!

And of course, everything can be found on our website, Looking Forward Our Way.

Recorded in Studio C at 511 Studios. A production of Circle 270 Media® Podcast Consultants.

Copyright 2026 Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson