Catchafire

An independent organization since 1847, The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) addresses the health challenges facing the world’s urban populations through interdisciplinary approaches to policy leadership, innovative research, evaluation, education, and community engagement.

NYAM's current priorities are to create environments in cities that support healthy aging; to strengthen systems that prevent disease and promote the public’s health; and to eliminate health disparities.

The Designing a Strong and Healthy New York (DASH-NY) and the Age-friendly NYC help to further these priorities. DASH-NY encourages all New Yorkers to make healthy choices by engaging multiple sectors in creating policy, systems and environmental changes that will end the epidemic of obesity. Further, DASH-NY is New York State’s Obesity Prevention Policy Center and develops resources, offers training and technical assistance, and educates decision makers about sustainable strategies that can create strong and healthy communities.

Age-friendly NYC is a public-private partnership between NYAM, the NYC Office of the Mayor, and the New York City Council dedicated to making New York City a great place to grow old by promoting active engagement of older adults in all aspects of city life. Age-friendly NYC’s contributions to the lives of older New Yorkers have attracted widespread attention locally, nationally and internationally and it has become a leading model for similar efforts in other cities. Age-friendly NYC was the first city to be recognized by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Network of Age Friendly cities, a network of more than 100 cities around the world. In addition, NYAM is also designated as the WHO Collaborating Center of Aging, Globalization and Urbanization. As such, NYAM provides technical assistance to cities around the country and around the world on how to establish an age-friendly city.