Stepping Stones
The Traverse City: Aging in Community model is being embraced by a highly progressive local community actively engaged in constructive, long-term collaboration with a track record of creating community features that promote livability for all ages.

The following is a brief summary of the overall community action plan developed by the Traverse City: Aging in Community Initiative leadership team with some of the notable project stepping-stones toward building local awareness and support for this community-wide initiative led bythe Aging Institute of Michigan, Catholic Human Services, Inc., Michigan Office of Services to the Aging, Michigan State University, Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, and the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce.

Step 1
January: 2006
The Traverse City: Aging in Community model is being embraced by a highly progressive local community actively engaged in constructive, long-term collaboration with a track record of creating community features that promote livability for all ages.

The following is a brief summary of the overall community action plan developed by the Traverse City: Aging in Community Initiative leadership team with some of the notable project stepping-stones toward building local awareness and support for this community-wide initiative led by the Aging Institute of Michigan, Catholic Human Services, Inc., Michigan Office of Services to the Aging, Michigan State University, Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, and the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce.

Step 2
February: 2006
The foundational language of the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce Strategic Plan provided the local cornerstone for the Traverse City: Aging in Community project, the Senior Sensitive Marketplace Initiative and the establishment of the Aging Institute of Michigan. The Traverse City: Aging in Community initiative is being embraced, approached and driven from a unique economic and community development perspective that will benefit business, community, and individual consumers.

Community Educational Forum: Back from the Beltway White House Conference on Aging series featuring Georgia Durga, Grand Traverse County Commission on Aging, and Dan Doezema, Michigan Office of Services to the Aging. The event was sponsored by the Grand Traverse Pavilions and the Aging Institute of Michigan. The presentation, held at the Park Place Dome in Traverse City, drew over 150 concerned citizens, volunteers, and community leaders. This helped pave the way for future community discussions around livability issues in Traverse City and promote the upcoming Senior Summit Conference on Aging.

Bay Area Senior Advocates members collaborate on an advocacy paper that addresses livability issues, among other local senior issues. Over forty leaders from local health care, housing, and human service organizations collaborate with for-profit businesses to set an agenda for seniors and age-related issues in the greater Traverse City area.

Step 3
March: 2006
AARP Press Conference held announcing the launch of the Traverse City: Aging in Community Project Initiative. Special guest speakers included, Mayor Linda Smyka, Doug Luciani, President, Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, Brad Van Dommelen, President, Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sally Erickson Bornschein, POM Associates, Inc., and Steve Gools, State Director, AARP Michigan. The event was hosted by the Aging Institute of Michigan.

AIM presents Aging Parents: Career Buster or Business Opportunity at Marigold Over Lunch Series held at the Holiday Inn, Traverse City. The event addresses aging and caregiver issues and the impact of an aging workforce on the local economy.

Step 4
April: 2006
Business After Hours event co-hosted by the Aging Institute of Michigan, the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa and the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce held to raise awareness of aging issues in the business community and promote attendance for the upcoming Senior Summit Conference on Aging.

Aging Institute of Michigan hosts the first annual state-wide Senior Summit Conference on Aging at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. Over 500 professionals representing for-profit, non-profit, higher education, and government from across Michigan attended the two day event. Conference themes centered on the Business of Aging and included topics and speakers on aging demographics, livability and aging in place, adaptive and assistive technologies, aging and the new economy, elder financial protection, and the future of health care.
For speaker information, see: www.seniorsummit.net

Step 5
May: 2006
Bay Area Senior Advocates host 2006 Senior Expo at the Haggerty Center in Traverse City. Aging Institute of Michigan conducts initial face-to-face, community livability test surveys with expo attendees. Feedback from the original test surveys help to create enhanced Traverse City Livable Communities online survey.

Review of local and regional plans and processes related to livability in Traverse City including: Traverse City Master Plan, 2006 Economic Development Forecast, Land Use and Transportation Study, Poverty Reduction Initiative work group activities, Down Town Development Authority's current agenda, Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan planning data, current demographic information from Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, Michigan Office of Services to the Aging State Plan, Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce Strategic Plan, Bay Area Senior Advocates White Paper recommendations, Munson Hospital Disaster Preparedness Plan, Michigan Tourism Strategic Plan for NW Lower Michigan Stakeholders, 2004 Traverse City designation from Partners for Livable Communities white paper, Traverse City Waterfront Plan recommendations, and other age-related studies pertaining to livability in the greater Traverse City area.

Develop a series of questions for two new survey sections for the final enhanced Traverse Livable Community Survey based on Traverse City Leadership team recommendations. The Aging Institute of Michigan worked with Debra McKeon, Traverse Area Arts Council, Carol Evans, Northwest Michigan College Extended Education Services, and Lori Wells, Traverse City Senior Center to develop questions for the Arts, Culture and Education survey. Susan McQuiad, United Way, RSVP, Barbara Lemcool, Grand Traverse Community Collaborative, and Jeanne Snow, Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation gave input and suggestions for the Volunteerism and Civic Engagement survey questions. These two new signature survey sections are an important part of reflecting Traverse City's unique approach to livability as a vacation destination community and will serve to help other communities identify capacities that will help promote and accelerate their local livability program efforts.

Step 6
June-July: 2006
Identify key neighborhoods in Traverse City, in addition to the downtown area, and complete local assessments related to livability features and amenities. Review transportation and bus routes to document assets and potential liabilities. Volunteers inspect local grocery stores for livability assets and potential liabilities. Meet with city planners, local law enforcement, housing officials, and city assessors to gather additional input and clarification regarding community assets and potential liabilities.

Two additional survey refinements evolved from the original AARP Livable Communities Evaluation Guide. The first more directly addressed the social and recreational components of the survey, originally called, Recreation and Cultural Activities. To better meet the needs of Traverse City seniors, this survey was expanded with the help of Lori Wells, Traverse City Senior Center (who works closely with the Traverse City Parks and Recreation Department,) and Mike McGuire, Traverse Area District Library, who also saw the need for a more expanded questionnaire. This survey section name was changed to: Recreational and Social Activities and was modified to include additional questions to better meet the growing needs of area seniors while maintaining 100% of the original survey questions. The second survey refinement involved the expansion of the original Shopping survey to include baseline consumer evaluation information on specific livability aspects of downtown and restaurants in Traverse City; a modification that will assist in the development of a national business and aging certification program. This new title of this survey, Senior Sensitive Marketplace, is also the name of the new program initiative developed by the Aging Institute of Michigan in cooperation with the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce.

Community experts complete original livability survey documenting and confirming the existence, partial existence or non-existence of livability assets included in the AARP Livable Communities Evaluation Guide. Get expert feedback on gaps in Traverse City's senior care continuum at the present time. Compare and contrast expert's assessments of individual assets with public's perception gathered from face to face test survey results conducted in May.

Step 7
August: 2006
An expanded online Traverse Livable Community Survey developed to gather direct input from the community. Traverse City Record Eagle partners with the Aging Institute of Michigan as a media sponsor to promote the online survey. A series of eight 1/4 page ads will run in the Traverse City Record Eagle and will be linked directly from their live home page for the month of August, 2006. In addition, three prizes will be awarded to participants in a special drawing of those who invest the time to complete all ten survey sections. Area groups and organizations will be invited to participate in the survey.

Step 8
September: 2006
Building an enhanced inventory of community livability assets. Identify area gaps and opportunities for increasing livability for seniors.
Complete Traverse City Livable Community Assessment.
Look at the possibility of conducting a community forum for additional ideas about how community members can get involved in Traverse City livability improvements.

Step 9
October: 2006
Community-wide online survey launched to gather community input into identifying livability assets and liabilities. Participants are invited to give their comments and feedback on the survey.
See: www.TLCsurvey.org


State-wide education and discussion portal for Michigan's current and emerging community livability programs, projects, and initiatives launches to support engaged communities and help new communities move their local livability efforts from conversation to action.
See: www.Mihometown.org

Step 10
November: 2006
Look at the possibility of conducting a community forum for additional ideas about how community members can get involved in Traverse City livability improvements.