Twice a week, no matter the weather, Detroit resident Precious Hicks drives five minutes to the Adams Butzel Complex on the city's west side to join a chair aerobics exercise class.
Hicks, 70, looks forward to both the workout and the socializing before and after class at the recreation center.
"There's nothing like meeting a group of people and they're laughing and talking," Hicks says. The class is so popular, she adds, "sometimes you can't even find a seat."
Free memberships for residents 60 and over to its 12 recreation centers is one way Detroit is working to improve the quality of life for older adults. Last year, Detroit was one of two Michigan cities to join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. Clawson was the other.
The network supports local and state leaders by offering access to expert resources as they work to improve housing, transportation, public spaces and other amenities that help people age in place. A dozen localities across the state are now members, and Michigan is one of 11 states that are part of the network, along with the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Some cities focus on encouraging older residents to stay active. In Detroit, leaders have made a large investment to reopen recreation centers, including renovating indoor and outdoor spaces for activities such as pickleball, says Brenda Price, AARP Michigan's associate state director for outreach in Detroit.
"If you can't find a pickleball court in Detroit, you're not looking," Price says.
Nearly 3,800 residents age 60 and over have free memberships to the centers. People drop in for a fitness class, a cup of coffee or meal with friends or a game of cards or chess, says John Armstrong, assistant director of the city's parks and recreation department. The city plans to open an additional four rec centers by early 2026, he says.
"The health benefits of being active as a senior are really great, but mental health -- especially post-COVID -- is a big focus," Armstrong says.
An aging population
Michiganders 65 and older represent one of the state's fastest growing age groups, and there is increased awareness of the need to prepare, says Kayla Smith, health promotion and wellness coordinator at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In 2022, 18.7 percent of state residents were 65 or over, compared with 12.3 percent two decades prior, state data shows.
As a part of the AARP network, the state released a 2024-2026 age-friendly action plan to address a variety of issues, including increasing the number of older adults and caregivers participating in nutrition and wellness programs; improving access to information about how to reduce the risk of falls; and offering more opportunities for social and physical engagement.
The state is also looking to foster better relationships with those individuals already doing age-friendly work at the local level, Smith says. Other initiatives around the state include: