University President Steven Knapp continued work last Thursday on a city-wide task force to improve the quality of life for local seniors by 2017.
Knapp met with 22 other city leaders serving on the city’s Age-Friendly Task Force, which is part of a World Health Organization initiative, to begin drafting a strategic plan that addresses the issues facing D.C.’s elderly. Alumnus and D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray chose Knapp to co-chair the group with Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services Beatriz Otero last October.
Committee members presented their findings on topics such as housing and transportation after conducting research with federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Health and Human Services. GW students and faculty also helped contribute to research on social inclusion and other subjects.
The task force’s members will come together again in the fall at the Marvin Center, and their strategic plan will be released to the public in October. The group’s coordinator is alumna Gail Kohn, who once served as executive director of the Capitol Hill Village, which connects volunteers to residents hoping to age in their homes.