For an Aging Population, Creating A More Livable Fairfax County

The Fairfax County area has a significant amount of senior residents - a number expected to grow considerably in the coming years.

To address the group and their needs, Fairfax County, along with representatives from smaller municipalities such as the Town of Herndon, are holding forums throughout the area this summer to discuss the needs of local seniors, and how to make the area more "livable" for its aging population.

The three main focuses of discussion in the forums are housing and transportation, easy access to services, and healthy lifestyles and community engagement, according to the county's website. 

County officials say once its series of forums is complete, they plan to devise an action plan called "Fairfax 50+."

Forums have already been held in several parts of the county, such as Fairfax City, McLean and Falls Church.

This Wednesday, the forum is coming to the Herndon Senior Center, 873 Grace St., from 4 to 6 p.m.

Mayor Lisa Merkel says she thinks the Town of Herndon has a lot of features that make it a great, convenient place for seniors to spend their retirement and twilight years.

"We think our walkable downtown is one thing that helps make this a great town for seniors, especially the fact that both the Senior Center and Harbor House - which offers senior housing - are located right within the downtown," Merkel told Patch.

Merkel said, she recognizes "aging in place" is something that is very important to local seniors.

"We want our seniors to be able to age in place," she said. "We want them to not have to move out of town in their retirement years."

However, she added, "Not everyone has family in the area, or an extended 'network,' to be able to help them in their elderly years."

She thinks Herndon can become an even better place for seniors to spend their advanced years with added services and improvements, and the help of organizations such as the Herndon Village Network.

Merkel said with the town's excellent Senior Center already in place, improvements underway downtown and the coming Metro stop in Herndon, she thinks that is already happening.

One other idea Merkel would like to see realized is the addition of "circulator bus" services in Herndon.

"Currently, the Town of Herndon gets its bus services from the county. As the county changes our bus routes, we have been advocating and working with Town transportation planners so that when the Metro stop opens, we'll have a circulator bus downtown," she said.

She said with the two types of routes supporters have been discussing, every Town of Herndon resident would be within a quarter-mile of a bus stop, which would transport people throughout the Town and would stop at the new Metro station.

"We want every resident to be within walking distance of [being able to get to] the Metro," she said.

Another issue she thinks local and county officials can continue to look at is more senior housing - both in affordability, and quantity.

"It can be hard to find in this area," she said.

She added she thinks the Herndon Village Network, as it continues to form, will be a great resource for local seniors, as well as the brand-new HealthWorks of Northern Virginia community clinic that opened in the town last month.

"And, I think, there's a lot that can be learned from this week's forum," she added.

In addition to this Wednesday's forum at the Herndon Senior Center from 4-6 p.m., forums are coming up in Annandale on July 11 and in Springfield on July 19. For more information or to RSVP for any of the forums, visit Fairfax County's web page for older adult services here.

Those who cannot attend any of the County's forums this summer can also send feedback on the issues by e-mail to DFSCommunity@fairfaxcounty.gov or by calling 703-324-5411, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.


TELL US - What do you think is most needed to help local seniors be able to 'age in place' in Herndon? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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