York County proclaims May 2026 as Older Americans Month, advances second five-year "Age Friendly" plan

York County commissioners proclaimed May 2026 as Older Americans Month and heard presentations on the county’s second five-year Age Friendly York County plan.

A commissioner read a proclamation into the record noting that "since 1963, May has been recognized as Older Americans Month," and that more than four in 10 York County residents are age 50 or older. The proclamation cited the county’s participation in the World Health Organization and AARP networks and committed county support for goals on housing, transportation, lifelong learning, intergenerational programming, dementia awareness and municipal supports.

Kathy Bollinger, director of grant making at the York County Community Foundation, said the foundation will convene philanthropy, partners and community leaders to "bring together philanthropy, partnerships, and community leadership to address the issues that matter most in York County." She added, "We believe communities thrive when they are designed for people of all ages." Mike Pritchard, director of the York County Planning Commission, said age-friendly planning connects land use, housing and transportation decisions with community partnerships.

Mark Shea, director of the York County Aging Office, placed the initiative in demographic context, saying the county agency serves about 126,000 residents over age 60 and welcoming county-level efforts to improve services and access.

The commissioners said the proclamation supports a collaborative approach that will track progress across the county, invite municipal participation, and review outcomes twice yearly.