What do you call a city with walkable streets, options for housing and transportation, access to services and opportunities for participation in community activities? Livable for all ages.
The World Health Organization has created a list of eight domains of livability to assess the characteristics of a city that make it more tenable to the 60+ population (with benefits accruing to all residents). These domains improve quality of life, but each has been directly impacted by COVID-19. But by reimagining these domains, the benefits could spark a new wave of living for all ages in the years to come.
Domain 1 – Outdoor spaces and buildings
After orders for sheltering in place, sidewalks and parks are a welcome alternative to indoor isolation. Even national parks have recognized the newfound interest in the outdoors, waiving their entrance fees to encourage people to get outside. For individuals who do not have an accessible yard, these communal space options are critical to well-being.
For vulnerable populations, grocery stores and other public spaces have nearly become inaccessible due to increased risk of exposure. To serve these individuals, many stores have reserved hours of operation to provider safer shopping alternatives. These types of adaptions have spread across the nation as essential businesses strive to provide safer accommodations for their audiences.
Domain 2 – Transportation options
As communities shelter in place, bus routes are dwindling, freeways remain open and bike racks sit empty. With the decrease in travel, many people are utilizing sidewalks as a reprieve from life at home. To accommodate this influx in foot traffic, some cities have actively shut down streets near parkways, allowing individuals to adhere to social distancing protocols outside of the home.
While food and services still require trucking and transportation, some items are being delivered through innovative methods. In Florida, COVID-19 tests are being transported from a testing site to a Mayo Clinic processing location via a self-driving shuttle. This move to autonomous shuttles helps prevent possible exposure to a driver, launching an innovative option in an industry facing its own trials due to labor shortages.
Domain 3 – Housing that is appropriately designed or modified and affordable
COVID-19 has exposed a large gap in offerings for seniors still living at home, especially in rural areas. With many adults choosing to age in place, seniors across the nation are waiting out the virus at home, often on their own. Access to resources such a broadband internet is critical for these individuals as the world shifts to technology touch points. Lack of access could prove to be detrimental to isolated households, resulting in an inability to socially connect or even receive routine medical care. Identifying areas that to do not have clear access to the internet is a first step that communicators can take to address needs in unmet audiences.
Domain 4 – Social participation
Every person has a desire to feel involved and purposeful. With many seniors unable to leave their homes, communities are leaning on family members and volunteers to maintain connections. Through church organizations, nonprofits and social groups, interactions across age groups build stamina to sustain isolated lifestyles.
As working and socializing continues to be viewed through the lens of technology, businesses that embrace this new world-wide adoption could find opportunities to connect with their audience that may not have existed before. These developments could help bring more people, including seniors, to the same virtual platforms and increase active involvement in social connection.
Domain 5 – Respect and social inclusion
From Zoom work meetings and birthday parties to virtual happy hours and holidays, online connections are nurturing relationships and bringing a sense of normalcy to an otherwise trying time. Cell phones and tablets are prominent among today’s seniors, with nearly 60% of senior ages 65 – 69 owning a smartphone. And COVID-19 could prove to be a large factor in pushing others into the digital age as aging adults look for new ways to connect with their friends and family while in isolation. This use of technology could benefit lives in significant ways, giving older adults access to online support groups for people who share their medical conditions, and providing easy access to news, articles and digital communication platforms. New methods for maintaining relationships in spite of distance and other barriers will not only connect humanity, but will give older adults the chance to connect, create and contribute.
Related Content: Learn how to connect with individuals who are facing disruption.
Domain 6 – Civic Participation and employment
The challenges facing organizations during this time are forcing the world to reimagine what it means to work and conduct business. Nearly 17 million Americans have filed new claims for unemployment benefits since mid-March as a direct result of COVID-19. Organizations are facing volunteer shortages, leaving food shelves and other services that provide for vulnerable populations without workers. Where businesses once required in-person meetings, they have now reimagined their agendas to work in the virtual realm. Even electoral voting is moving from polling locations to mailed absentee ballots. As the government, businesses and local organizations utilize adaptions to a higher degree than ever before, leaders should also consider how building additional alternatives to increase participation will help keep operations running in the midst of drastic change.
Domain 7 – Communication and information
Even in an age of technology, communication and information should be disseminated through a variety of channels to reach even those without a smart phone. Despite the news media covering the latest COVID-19 developments, there is still the chance that some populations do not have the information they need to remain safe. Identifying underutilized mediums, re-angling messages in plain language and reinforcing key communications are all necessary steps to reaching a wide audience. With essential workers still submerged in society, communicators must understand the key issues driving different populations to stay or leave their homes. Messages should address all ages and demographics, using empathy to identify the different circumstances that would lead to someone to break isolation (and the precautions they can take to remain safe).
Related Content: Discover positive transformation taking place in the midst of COVID-19.
Domain 8 – Community and health services
Healthcare has become increasingly agile in the weeks since COVID-19, especially in regard to delivery of services. While telehealth options already existed for patient/provider interactions, the switch to telehealth as a primary method of care seemed to happen overnight. Decisions that may normally have taken months to solidify have taken regulators and leaders in the industry hours. The industry has turned its processes upside down to care for patients in new ways. Adoptions such as making proactive calls to at-risk patients can help ensure individuals have what they need to care for themselves from the safety of their homes. These patient-centric services will set a precedence that has the potential to streamline care moving forward, especially for aging patients who may struggle to follow their care plan.
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