Director of Healthy Aging at the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley Carmen Bell presented, on behalf of AARP, a certification recognizing Lehigh County as an age-friendly community during the Feb. 8 Lehigh County Commissioners meeting.

The certification expires Nov. 29, 2025.

Leigh County Commissioners Chairman Geoff Brace explained the county’s work, stating “our plan, as it was cultivated regionally, focuses in on a couple of action points. One is housing, improving affordable housing opportunities for older adults, respecting inclusion where it focuses on social inclusion for older adults and transportation to promote the benefits for walking for health, focusing on mindfulness, wellness and connectivity.

“This is a testament to our commitment to making Lehigh County and the Lehigh Valley a more age-friendly place to live,” Brace added.

Bell addressed Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong and the commissioners, telling them, “we have been working long and hard with both counties (Lehigh and Northampton).

“We appreciate the efforts of Executive Armstrong in support of our work. We appreciate the work of the commissioners to be mindful of what’s best for the community and we are happy to be in that partnership with them, our elected officials and the various nonprofit organizations and other institutions around the county.

“Our goal is to recognize that Lehigh County and Lehigh Valley is already an age-friendly community. There are lots of opportunities here, lots of access to health care, but there’s always an opportunity to improve that which is already good,” Bell concluded.

In accepting the certification, Armstrong said “it’s been years of work, of planning. If I can remember, Carmen, we had the Fountain Hill Senior Home, for where we started this a number of years ago. It was quite a process but for AARP and the United Way spearheading it, it was quite an honor to just go along.”

“I think that it’s very, very important that we have a community that recognizes the needs of the senior population. Not only in just medical and housing, but how to get to those things, that transportation meets their needs.”

Armstrong closed by saying, “we value our senior population and that we will continue as a board and executive branch with these groups to make sure we continue to improve.”