Aging Plan/Age-Friendly Coordinator: Billie Breeden
Buncombe County has a full-time Age-Friendly Coordinator who oversees the work of the Age-Friendly Action Plan and facilitation of the Buncombe County Age-Friendly initiatives:
ie. Experienced Workforce, Elder Justice, Housing Options for Aging in Place, and the Asheville/Buncombe Black Elders (ABBE) Engagement Project.
The Buncombe County Age-Friendly Action Plan (2021 - 2024) reflects the vision of an age-friendly community where older adults are safe, well, and engaged. It has established the following goals for our community:
- Promote community awareness of physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
- Ensure safe and accessible public buildings, outdoor spaces, business, and offices.
- Promote safe, affordable housing options for aging in place.
- Support older adults’ health and wellbeing.
- Support older adults’ financial wellbeing.
- Support caregiver wellbeing.
- Promote older adult engagement (including volunteerism, employment, lifelong learning, civic engagement, and use of cultural and recreational assets).
- Ensure older adults have access to services and supports.