Goal 3: Places & Spaces

Natural and built environments enhance older adults’ mobility and livability

Strategies	Actions
Develop and maintain housing, transportation, community spaces, universally designed infrastructure, and community amenities to increase livability and to create safe, accessible environments	Foster public (e.g., COAs, Parks and Recreation, libraries, museums) and private (e.g., retail, healthcare, hospitality) organizations to expand access to safe and welcoming, outdoor spaces and amenities where older adults can participate in social, recreational, and wellness activities (e.g., outdoor fitness stations for older adults and people with disabilities, pop-up programming, intergenerational playgrounds, pickleball, etc.) Increase availability of accessible and affordable transportation for older adults, particularly for medical appointments and essential errands, but also wellbeing activities (e.g., fitness programs, social connection) Explore new ways to fulfill a rider’s “total trip” through supportive transportation, including increasing access to two-person assist transportation services Work with EOHLC and MassHousing to establish baseline standards for Resident Service Coordinators (RSC) in senior affordable housing (e.g., ratio of RSC time to number of units/residents, minimum standards for job duties, required on-the-job training) Promote walkability through reducing sidewalk gaps and increasing curb ramps across the Commonwealth as a means of promoting active transportation and walking as a safe transportation option for older adults Support and promote programs that provide assistance with home modifications, such as installing walk-in showers and other accessibility features
Promote inter-municipal and cross-agency collaboration to leverage resources, strengthen partnerships, fill gaps, and broaden awareness of the importance of age-friendly places and spaces	Leverage MassTrails funding and technical assistance to improve connectivity between existing sidewalks and rail trails/outdoor spaces Incentivize development projects that include age-friendly publicly accessible community assets (e.g., benches, public bathrooms, and trail/sidewalk easements)
Build community capacity for older adults' climate resilience	Support the assessment of heat vulnerabilities for older adults, develop an outreach strategy to address heat-related and degraded air quality-related human health risks
Increase older adults’ digital literacy, access to low-cost internet and digital devices	Support and participate digital access planning locally, regionally, and statewide to increase access to the internet/broadband, digital devices, and digital literacy among older adults
Amplify current mobility resources for older adults and where feasible, encourage and support regional approaches to scale efforts, such as in rural communities	Promote mobility management, such as development of a statewide system of Regional Mobility Managers to connect people to transportation options and bring organizations together to collaborate on filling gaps in the transportation network Improve awareness of transportation options through maintenance and promotion of Ride Match as a centralized database of public and private transportation options for older adults, people with disabilities, and others

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