Wheatland’s senior center was alive with laughter as preschoolers from a local daycare joined older adults for an afternoon of crafts and play. From construction‑paper crowns to graham‑cracker valentines, each station was stocked with supplies and had an older adult to guide the children, creating simple, joyful moments of connection. As the town highlighted on Facebook, it was a heartwarming reminder of how intergenerational experiences strengthen the fabric of a community.
The impact reaches far beyond a single afternoon of fun. These interactions help reduce social isolation, foster friendships, and reinforce the value of a community that cares for people of all ages.
The event reflects a broader commitment by the Town of Wheatland to support its aging residents. The Town Board voted unanimously to adopt age‑friendly livable community principles as part of its comprehensive strategic plan. They also approved an increase in the income limit for property tax exemptions for homeowners 65 and older—from $37,300 to $58,400—giving more older adults on fixed incomes the ability to stay in their homes.
Melissa Wendland, director of strategic initiatives at Common Ground Health and our representative to the Monroe County Aging Alliance (MCAA), says Wheatland’s approach offers a model for other municipalities and aligns with a growing regional and statewide effort to prepare for New York’s rapidly expanding older population.
“We’re working with every municipality to encourage them to adopt age‑friendly livable community principles as they update their comprehensive plans,” Wendland explains. The work offers municipalities a timely opportunity to revisit tax exemption limits for residents 65 and older to ensure those with low or fixed incomes can age securely in place. “We’re particularly focuses on supporting older adults whose incomes fall just above Medicaid eligibility and struggle with fixed incomes,” she said.
By endorsing age‑friendly principles, Wheatland has made it clear that future development must consider the needs of older adults—a crucial step as one‑third of our region’s population is age 60 or older and growing.
Other towns are moving in the same direction: Irondequoit town board passed a resolution in July, and others are already adopting principles that address housing, walkability and social isolation.
This local momentum aligns with New York State’s Master Plan for Aging, a three‑year statewide initiative that incorporated many of our region’s recommendations. Yet the plan faces a significant challenge: inadequate funding. That’s why we’re urging support for Proposal 50. With priorities identified by the Age Strong NY Coalition, Proposal 50 will, among other things, expand home care, build the aging services workforce, and support family caregivers with expanded respite services.
At its core, this movement is about how communities care for one another. Wheatland’s simple afternoon of play is a powerful example: small moments of connection can spark changes that ripple across generations and help build a town where everyone feels at home.