In partnership with the Center for Urban Research at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, The New York Academy of Medicine (the Academy) has created IMAGE: NYC, an open-source, interactive map of the current and projected aging population in New York City through 2030 with overlays of age-friendly resources, services, and amenities, that can be adapted by different localities.

The project is an initiative of Age-friendly NYC, a 10-year partnership between the Academy, the New York City Council, and the Mayor’s Office, working to maximize the social, physical, and economic participation of older people to improve their health and wellbeing and strengthen communities. IMAGE: NYC is overseen by the multi-sector Age-friendly NYC Commission, appointed by the Mayor and comprised of leaders from government (administrative and legislative) and from fields including business, education, health care, law, architecture, transportation, urban planning, housing, and social work.

Grounded in the recommendations that emerged from the Academy’s 2014 report on older people following Hurricane Sandy, Resilient Communities: Empowering Older Adults in Disasters and Daily Life, this map serves as a tool to:

1. Facilitate more informed, equitable, and localized planning and deployment of resources to maximize intrinsic capacity and functional ability at the population level in diverse neighborhoods.
2. Contribute to culturally and linguistically competent health care and social service delivery through the ability to isolate the characteristics and needs of subpopulations in different localities.
3. Build connections within and between sectors, institutions, and organizations, leading to increased social cohesion which supports aging in community and community resilience.

The following population and neighborhood characteristics can be mapped across the city:

• Demographics
• Socio-economics
• Voting
• Health and wellness
• Housing
• Public safety

Location-specific overlays include:

• Age-friendly NYC focus neighborhoods
• Aging services
• Health facilities
• Safety resources
• Recreation and outdoor space
• Arts, culture, and education
• Affordable housing
• Transportation
• Administrative and legislative district boundaries
• Business improvement district boundaries

This presentation will provide a demonstration of IMAGE: NYC’s current content and capabilities and an overview of phase two of the project. Finally, a case study will be presented using the map to first, illustrate two neighborhoods with significant disparities in health and access to age-friendly resources and second, to inform and implement a corrective action plan.