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BUILT ENVIRONMENT
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Haifa, Israel1
Age- and activity-friendly cities [1] |
Ethnically and socioeconomically diverse adults ages 50 years and older (N = 59) from 4 neighborhoods in Haifa |
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Identified safest routes to destinations Developed a senior-friendly “golden path” walking map Began to work with Mayor’s office and local organizations and businesses to initiate changes (e.g., improved aesthetics) to support walking
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East Palo Alto, CA (USA)
Senior-friendly activity and food environments [16,27] |
Assessment and advocacy around food and physical activity environments of local neighborhoods (N = 12 ethnically diverse low-income older adults living in senior public housing) |
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Participants partnered with a local non-profit garden-based education organization, which provided education, gardening tools, and seeds to develop a community garden Sustained relationships between study participants and city officials, resulting in a more coherent focus on creating an age-friendly community Allocation of significant government dollars for built environment improvements and public health inclusion in the city’s general plan
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San Mateo County, CA (USA)
Food access and transportation [18] |
Examination of the factors that facilitate or hinder access to food, and food-related behavior, followed by advocacy for positive environmental and policy-level changes. (N = 23 ethnically diverse, food insecure, low-income older adults) |
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Price promotions for unhealthy food The presence of unhealthy food The price of items not being displayed within view or at all Higher prices Having to visit multiple stores for cheaper prices Poor personal health
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Local organizations made information available in multiple languages about food assistance and transportation services At 3 months, 84% of study participants had either shared new information/resources, contacted a local decision or policy maker, and/or signed up for a new service (e.g., SNAP, shuttle service) At 6 months, a senior advocacy team (SAT) was formed and convened an open forum, presented concerns and solutions to city and county policymakers (N = 5); Within 4 days, improved street signage and curb painted red for better visibility SAT participated in the State Capital’s Fifth Annual Affordable Senior Housing Resident Advocacy Day in Sacramento, CA SAT partnered with an elementary school to address pedestrian and bicycle safety concerns due to high-speed traffic City Transportation and Planning Department installed a device to measure traffic and speed on the street, then later installed pedestrian flashing light signals and modified crosswalk for safety
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North Fair Oaks, CA (USA)
Neighborhood walkability and security across generations [25] |
Assessment of neighborhood built-environment features that help or hinder physical activity (N = 10 low-income Latinx adults, mean age 71 years and 10 low-income Latinx adolescents, mean age 13 years) |
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Trash Poor quality sidewalks Personal safety
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Resident-informed Community Resource Guide was compiled Resident recommendations included the following: Trash: report illegal dumping, make signs asking people to clean up after pets, form volunteer groups to clean up trash, increase knowledge about trash pick-up days for larger items (e.g., furniture), request additional public trash bins from the city, require and enforce that apartment owners should supply residents with appropriate trash disposal facilities Personal safety: form a neighborhood watch association; replace graffiti with murals; work with the city to learn how to complete forms, start a petition, initiate action; increase police patrols, open the park and use cameras to monitor activity; increase security on the footbridge (patrols and cameras) Sidewalks: report unsafe sidewalks to Dept. of Public Works Residents worked with local media to highlight priority issues, and article about the project appeared in national media A steering committee of local municipal and service organizations was formed to address issue of illegal dumping and trash The County Manager’s office conducted research into best management practices on illegal dumping, engaged with other cities and counties around this issue, and has explored use of web and mobile technologies to allow resident reporting of trash
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Cuernavaca, Mexico
Supporting intergenerational active living across socioeconomic strata [19] |
Testing the acceptability and feasibility of using the Our Voice approach to assess walkability environments in four neighborhoods in Mexico, stratified according to socioeconomic status and walkability. (N = 32 adults, 9 adolescents) |
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Poor sidewalk quality Presence of trash Negative street characteristics Unpleasant aesthetics (e.g., graffiti) Feeling unsafe Unleashed dogs Limited disabled access Lack of crosswalks Poor quality of parks and recreational facilities
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Discussed creation of a neighborhood committee and campaign to encourage neighbors to use leashes and clean up after their dogs Adults and adolescents discussed acceptable forms of public art/graffiti together Neighborhood watch programs recommended to combat crime Strategies identified to promote increased social cohesion in the neighborhood
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Curitiba, Brazil
Neighborhood environmental characteristics and physical activity among older adults |
Older adults from neighborhood areas with high and low walkability and SES (N = 32) |
Presence and quality of sidewalks Land use mix (proximity of services, e.g., markets, bakery)
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Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, CA, (USA)
Improving walkability around affordable senior housing sites |
Older adult residents and neighbors of affordable housing sites, enrolled in a physical activity intervention
(N = 69)
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Murals on electrical boxes Community Gardens Flashing light sidewalks Traffic signs Park and community centers within walking distance Clean amenities on walking routes
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Cracked Sidewalks Overgrown Shrubs Lack of curb ramps Lifted manhole covers Narrow/No sidewalks Cars parked on sidewalks Walking time given to cross intersections Visibility of bus stop signs Trash or hazardous waste along walking paths
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Residents wrote letters to describe safety concerns with sidewalk cracks and proposed that if they could not be repaired, they at least be marked with paint to make them visible to residents Emailed community center staff requesting that they relay their concerns about negative community features to the proper departments; Information was relayed to the Maintenance division Sidewalk cracks were repaired on a major avenue Thank-you letters were sent to volunteers at a nicely maintained rose garden At a local community center, gravel was added to level the ground between a walking track and sidewalk to prevent a walking hazard Dirt and overgrown shrubs on sidewalk were cleared out Sidewalk was repainted red to stop cars from parking A stop sign that had fallen was repaired Put up a new stop sign at a local park to make entry easier Put in a cross walk near one of the affordable housing sites Improved visibility of bus stops signs and phone numbers to call to obtain the bus schedule Painted sidewalk curve at local community center to prevent falls Cracked, uneven sidewalk repair at another community center
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Manitoba, Canada
Creating an age-friendly campus |
Older people (≥65 years) assessed overall age-friendliness of the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry campus (N = 10) |
Fitness programming for older people (including walking paths and places to cycle) Libraries Restaurants Positive campus environment Positive customer service experiences
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Several missing handrails, automatic door openers, bench seating along walkways Absent, confusing, or hard to read campus signage Unsafe walking surfaces (tripping hazard) Lack of separation between cyclists and pedestrian traffic Cost and availability of parking for older people with accessibility concerns
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Comprehensive physical accessibility scan of campus to identify overlooked areas (completed as part of provincially-mandated legislation and ongoing accessibility audits of campus) Adding additional bench seating Increasing walkway maintenance and reconstruction budget Will vastly improve the quality and amount of signage to building entrances, pedestrian walkways, university roads, and parking lots (currently part of a larger wayfinding project on campus) Adding more pedestrian crossings and dedicated bike lanes Adding more short-term and accessible parking spaces
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Bath, Kent, Keynsham, Wolverhampton, UK
Increasing age- and activity-friendliness of diverse communities |
Increasing the age and activity friendliness of geographically and socioeconomically diverse communities (N = 19 older adults, 66 ± 7 years old) |
Sidewalk availability and dropped curbs Access to facilities including recreational facilities (museums, shops), daily destinations (parks, green spaces and benches) and public transport. Community spirit (i.e., friendly people, supportive networks, community hubs) Variety of local amenities Signposting of walking/cycling routes
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Damaged sidewalks Obstacles on sidewalks (e.g., leaves, trash bins) Aesthetics: Graffiti, unkept gardens, overgrown trees/bushes, flower beds, vandalism Neighborhood safety: lack of signs and lighting, high traffic volume Public crossing characteristics (i.e., long distances between crossings, insufficient crossing duration) Personal Safety: groups of young people, stray dogs Accessibility and Walkability: unreliable public transport, challenges walking on cobbled streets, limited access to parks, shops, benches Air pollution
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Citizen scientists articulated the following goals and strategies: Provide accommodations for people with compromised walking abilities or who use walking aids Provide unobstructed access to good quality and safe sidewalks Provide sheltered benches that accommodate different abilities Provide local amenities for coffee, sociability Provide public toilets Advertise the walking/cycling routes Subsidize active forms of travel Enhance roads to reduce traffic volume Put neighborhood watch schemes in place Provide more trash bins to reduce litter Park patrols to help older adults feel safer Provide communal picnic areas to give more of a safe and communal feeling Restrict big lorries to use only bigger roads and motorways
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Temuco, Chile
Neighborhood environmental characteristics that promote quality of life and physical activity among older adults |
Community-dwelling older adults from neighborhoods with different socioeconomic status and walkability (N = 60, ≥60 years) |
Availability and proximity of services, goods Availability of green spaces, sidewalks Government-funded programs to improve neighborhoods Bus stop renovations and new signage Participatory decisions for improving common spaces (public art)
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Sidewalks need maintenance Some street corners need better signs and measures to reduce vehicle speed Illegal garbage disposal in some corners People selling drugs in some areas Lack of support to maintain surveillance cameras under operation
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Strategy development in process Several stakeholders have been identified for the implementation of potential solutions such as the Council program for older adults, Regional Secretary of Transport, Council Department of Transport, Regional Secretary of Housing and Urbanism, Regional Secretary of Aging, Police
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East San Jose, CA (USA)
Intergenerational approaches to building a healthy community |
Collaboration with SOMOS Mayfair organization, and local Public Health Department; (N = 50 multi-aged residents |
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Low access/utilization of public spaces for physical activity (PA) Not enough public art Lack of affordable housing Abandonment and dangerous infrastructure
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Presented findings to Mayor and City Council Memorandum of understanding (MOU) with School District to allow access to a local soccer field Development of Scavenger Hunt cards to attract local park use Creation and dissemination of “Walking Loop” cards through new partnership with California Walks and resident walking groups New PA programming
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SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT
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Anchorage, Alaska1
Safe and healthy aging for older LGBT residents |
Analysis of environmental factors that impact feelings of social isolation (N = 8) |
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Limited safe public transportation options Treacherous winter walk/drive conditions Lack of LGBT-welcoming venues Fear for personal safety based on historical discrimination
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LGBT elder-friendly events, social opportunities, and meetings held at Anchorage Senior Center, local cafes, and other venues Increased ridesharing coordination to American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) or SAGE events Offer of new educational events with Anchorage Senior Center, business leaders and senior service providers
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Cijin, Taiwan1
Senior-friendly places for social and recreational activities |
Older adults with mean age 70 years (SD = 10), 33% women, all with a high school education (N = 15) |
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Prioritized abandoned buildings and personal safety as particular high-priority issues An abandoned building was identified to turn into a community center where older adults could safely gather and socialized
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COMMUNITY AND HEALTH SERVICES
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Brisbane, Australia1
Ensuring a mobility-friendly geriatric medical rehabilitation unit |
Older adults in a medical rehabilitation unit (N = 10; 8 confined to wheelchairs) |
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Swinging vs. sliding doors Hard-to-reach cupboards Drab décor Steeply inclined entryway Bed curtains provided little privacy
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Moved a patient kitchenette and drinking fountain to more accessible locations Changing curtains to allow for greater privacy and which brightened décor Re-arranged furniture to allow greater wheelchair navigation Lowered paper towel dispensers in bedrooms for easier access
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