Senior News & Views

What is the status of AARP’s Age-Friendly Omaha initiative?

Its website describes a “multiyear process.” The kickoff event was Feb. 6, 2026, with a “Breakfast of Champions” at Immanuel Village.

The AFO website leads to a listing of Age-Friendly communities. Omaha has joined Grand Island and Lincoln as Nebraska’s such communities.

Meanwhile, the Age-Friendly Omaha website describes a multiyear process extending as far as 2030:

Year 1: Listening (2026) 

Community Survey 

We are collecting insights from older adults across Omaha to understand needs, strengths, and opportunities.

Public Engagement 

Listening sessions, multilingual outreach, and community ambassadors ensure everyone’s voice is heard. More information coming in Summer 2026. 

Year 2: Planning (2027) 

Identify priority domains (e.g., housing, transportation, outdoor spaces, health, social connection) and build a measurable action plan. 

Years 3-5: Taking action and measuring results (2028 – 2030)

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In March, the Omaha City Council proclaimed, as though Age-Friendly status had already been attained:

—Whereas, the population of the United States is rapidly aging, and by 2030 one in five Americans will be age 65 or older, making an historic demographic shift; and

—Whereas, older adults represent a growing and vital part of Omaha’s social, cultural, and economic fabric, and the City is committed to ensuring that all residents — regardless of age — can live, work, and thrive with dignity, inclusion, and opportunity; and

—Whereas, research from the World Health Organization and AARP demonstrates that communities designed to be age-friendly promote healthy aging, improve accessibility; and

—Whereas, the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities provides a framework and a five-year cycle of continuous improvement to help cities identify community needs, develop action plans, implement inclusive policies, and evaluate progress; and

—Whereas, the Age-Friendly Omaha initiative is being led in partnership with Spark, in collaboration with local leaders, academic partners, and community organizations, and supported by AARP Nebraska; and

—Whereas, Omaha will utilize the eight domains of livability developed by the WHO including transportation, housing, social participation, and communication and information,

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the City Council of Omaha officially recognizes and celebrates the city’s designation as an Age-Friendly Community and commits to advancing the goals of the Age-Friendly framework through inclusive assessment and action planning, and ongoing collaboration with residents, local partners, and regional organizations to ensure that Omaha remains a city where people of all ages can live and thrive.

In witness whereof, we have set our hands and caused the Official Seal of the City to be affixed on this 17th day of March, 2026.

Danny Begley, City Council President

Brinker Harding, City Council Vice President

Pete Festersen, Councilmember

Ron Hug, Councilmember

Don Rove, Councilmember

Aimee Melton, Councilmember