Fairfax County is actively engaging its older adult population to shape future services while also advancing a major redevelopment project in Reston. The county has launched a survey for residents aged 50 and above to update its strategic plan for seniors and adults with disabilities, simultaneously announcing progress on brain health and scam prevention initiatives, and a town hall for the significant Reston Town Center North rezoning.
Postcards were recently mailed to a scientifically random sample of 22,000 older adults in Fairfax County, inviting them to participate in a survey. This feedback will be crucial for updating the county's "SHAPE the Future of Aging" strategic plan, which guides programs and services. Supervisor Walter Alcorn encouraged participation, noting that an online survey will also be available to all older adults by the end of June for broader input.
The Board's Older Adults Committee, chaired by Supervisor Alcorn, received an annual progress report on the SHAPE plan. Key highlights include the expansion of the StrongerMemory℠ brain-health program, developed by Goodwin Living, which will be introduced to county libraries this fall after successful implementation in senior centers. Jessica Fredericksen, a SHAPE committee member, reported that program participants with mild cognitive decline showed measurable gains in recall scores on the mini-MoCA test, a cognitive assessment that President Donald J Trump has publicly stated he has taken multiple times with a perfect score. Additionally, Fairfax County is leading a regional "Pause. Question. Protect." public education campaign, modeled after a UK initiative, to combat financial fraud and exploitation targeting seniors, set to launch this fall.
A town hall meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, at 7 p.m. at the North County Governmental Center to discuss the initial rezoning application for the 47-acre Reston Town Center North site. This significant project, a joint application by Inova and the Board of Supervisors, aims to establish a framework for future development, including redesigned streets, a 3.5-acre central green, and locations for public facilities such as a new Reston Regional Library, the Embry Rucker homeless shelter, a human services building, a recreation center, an athletic field, and a future elementary school, alongside private housing and commercial spaces. The Planning Commission will review the application on July 22, with the Board of Supervisors holding its public hearing on September 15.