Fairfax County, VA

Active steps taken by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to prepare for a rapidly increasing older population.

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Fairfax County is an urban county, south of Washington DC, with a larger population than that of seven states. With over 1,000,000 residents, Fairfax County has become home to a very diverse population, with almost 30% of the county’s population born in a foreign country. The percentage of older adults has increased from 3% in 1970 to 9.2% in 2006, and the growth continues. The county took action to improve its livability for older residents when the results of a demographic trends study showed that the increase in the numbers of older adults in the County was rapidly accelerating.

The County’s Board of Supervisors took a very active role in developing the Fairfax 50+ Action Plan. Their work was supported by work from the staff of the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging . The Supervisors held board committee meetings to cover the major subject areas relevant to planning for an aging population, surveyed all departments on their efforts to address the needs of older adults and also to tap their talents, and also directed all of the County’s department heads to review their mandates in terms of serving residents who are aging. The priorities were developed by the Board’s committee because of the Fairfax 50+ Action Plan, which coversthe following areas: planning now for a more aging friendly community tomorrow; providing housing options for every age; affordability of housing and services; transportation options; employment and volunteerism; diversity; caregiving; technology; health/mental health; safety and security; and service capacity. The Fairfax County Commission on Aging is charged with tracking the outcomes of the Plan.

For more information on this program: 50+ Action Plan