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P a g e
3. How the Plan Was Developed
This Plan was developed with the active participation of many people in our community who
had ideas and opinions about what they want their community to be like for persons 55 and
over. The development of the Plan was overseen by the members of the Chesapeake 55 and
Better Think Tank (55+TT), with members representing a range of public and private
organizations.
The 55+TT was convened in October 2013 with the purpose of beginning the planning process
for the creation of a strategic plan as a guide to ensuring that the City of Chesapeake is
prepared for the growth in the senior population. In 2008, the City developed the
Comprehensive Plan for Children and Youth. This Plan provided actions, accountability, and
evaluation tools for its vision: “Chesapeake’s long-term economic vitality is assured through its
youngest citizens being given all the educational, health and social support needed to become
engaged, knowledgeable and productive citizens.” It continues to guide programs, service
development, and community efforts to meet that vision. The Plan was modeled after that
planning and implementation process.
The Action Plan was developed based on numerous resources including:
A
Chesapeake 55+ Survey
, a community wide baseline assessment of Chesapeake’s
age friendliness survey conducted by Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia in the
spring of 2014
Chesapeake Quality of Life Study
, 2006
Regional Keys Making the Region a Livable Community, Senior Services of
Southeastern Virginia, 2011
The State of Aging & Health in America 2013,
National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion
Investment in Priorities 2013,
The Planning Council
Virginia’s Blueprint for Livable Communities
, Virginia Department for the Aging
Community forums held to discuss features and priorities related to Chesapeake’s age
friendliness
Interviews with key stakeholders in the community who provide programs, services and
supports for the senior population
As part of the development process, the 55+TT held many community meetings. These
included senior clubs, civic leagues, faith based organizations, and public meetings at a
number of Chesapeake libraries and parks and recreation centers. The community made
many comments about what they thought is important to have a livable community for seniors.
