Aging well isn’t a medical event. It’s a daily lived experience: at home, in the grocery store, on the sidewalk, and at work.
In libraries, parks, classrooms, neighborhoods, and places of worship.
That is why the first two priorities in Utah’s Master Plan for Aging focus on where and how people live: Age-Friendly Ecosystems and Live Well Every Day.
They ask a simple but powerful question: How can Utah create communities where people not only grow older, but live well while doing so?
In today’s article, we will look into the first two priorities of the Master Plan for Aging in Utah.
Priority 1: Age-Friendly Ecosystems: Staging Successful Aging.
As described in the Master Plan, this priority states, “Utah adults benefit from age-friendly principles in our communities of living, education, health care, workplace, and public health that improve the quality of life and the aging experience for all.”
At its core, this means building communities that work for people across the lifespan. The priorities include:
- Fostering age-friendly initiatives in our communities, places of employment, education, and health care.
- Expanding accessible and affordable mobility solutions for less mobile individuals, and rural and underserved areas.
- Reframing public perceptions of aging through education and awareness by promoting the value and meaning of older adulthood.
- Building a coalition of legislators committed to aging and disability-related policy and how it impacts people at all stages of life.
As of 2024, Utah is the only state that, on any governance level, state, county, or city, does not have an age-friendly designation. We have work to do.
As more Utahns enter older adulthood, communities will need to think differently about housing, mobility, public spaces, employment, and healthcare. The question becomes less about whether older adults can “fit into” existing systems—and more about whether our systems are designed for people of all ages and abilities. When communities are designed well, they benefit everyone.
The Master Plan also calls attention to ageism: the assumptions and stereotypes that can limit how people are seen, valued, and included as they grow older.
Changing this begins with changing the story. Older adults are workers, caregivers, volunteers, mentors, business owners, artists, neighbors, and leaders. They carry history, skill, and wisdom. They also continue to grow, adapt, and contribute.
An age-friendly Utah recognizes that value.
That is why the Master Plan prioritizes age-friendly initiatives in communities, workplaces, education, and healthcare. In other words, successful aging is not just a personal goal. It is a community design goal.
Priority 2: Live Well Every Day: Sustaining Health and Wellness.
This goal focuses on helping Utah older adults “access services and resources that optimize our quality of life by caring for our physical, mental, and social well-being and establishing healthy lifestyles towards a successful aging experience.”
The Master Plan describes living well as the ability to make each moment count and to get the most from every experience. It includes safety, security, authentic relationships, laughter, appreciation, and exploration. Living well thus goes beyond avoiding illness to living full, active, and healthy lives.
The priorities include:
- Expanding the trained geriatric, gerontology, and mental health workforce.
- Promoting physical activity, proper nutrition, and mental well-being.
- Engaging older adults in arts, music, and lifelong learning.
- Encouraging intergenerational activities and mentorship opportunities.
- Connecting older adults with volunteer opportunities
That vision matters because health is shaped by more than healthcare. It is shaped by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. These are often called the social determinants of health, and they include access to quality healthcare, education, social connection, economic stability, and neighborhood environment. For older Utahns, these factors can determine whether aging feels supported or stressful.
Food security is one example. Older adults living on fixed incomes may struggle to access enough affordable and nutritious food. Food insecurity affects nutrition and health and can be both a cause and consequence of poor health, especially for older adults living with chronic conditions such as depression, asthma, and diabetes.
Social isolation is another. A person can live alone and feel connected. A person can also be surrounded by others and still feel lonely. Social isolation and loneliness are important but often overlooked factors that affect mental and physical health. The Master Plan notes that nearly one in five adults over age 65 may be considered isolated.
That is why Utah’s current priorities include increasing participation in balance and exercise programs, decreasing falls-related hospital admissions, improving food sufficiency, reducing malnutrition-related deaths, expanding geriatric and rural healthcare workforce supports, and increasing participation in lifelong learning opportunities.
“Live Well Every Day” reminds us that wellness is not a single program, a single clinic visit, or a single personal choice. It is the result of many forms of support working together so that people can remain active, connected, nourished, and engaged throughout life.
Looking Ahead
The first two priorities of Utah’s Master Plan for Aging focus on the environments and daily conditions that shape how people age.
The next article in this series will turn to two equally important questions: whether Utahns can afford to age with security, and whether they are prepared to make important decisions before a crisis happens. We will look at Affordable Aging and Plan for Life, two priorities focused on financial stability, housing, fraud prevention, advance care planning, and personal empowerment.
(Source: Utah Commission on Aging. (2025). Utah for the ages: Utah master plan for aging. https://utahaging.org)
Editors:
Qiaolan Zhuo, MBA
Cathy Maxwell, PhD