Strengthening Community Supports and Health Services: An Imperative for Health Equity and Aging in Community

Although we all age, not all of us experience aging in the same way. Our health and quality of life is shaped by the communities we live in, our engagement in those communities, and our interactions with community supports and health services .

The majority of us want to stay in our homes and communities as we age, yet most of us do not live in places with adequate structures and services to support our health as we grow older. Neighborhood characteristics like safety, walkability, and pollution directly affect whether our community is supportive of or detrimental to our health as we age. Structural issues like economic insecurity, ageism, disjointed care systems, lack of access to high-speed internet, and inaccessible public spaces limit our ability to engage in the community and to access quality care, which are important throughout our lives and particularly in older adulthood.

CHaSCI leaders Bonnie Ewald and Robyn Golden published an article in Public Policy & Aging Report calling on policy and public health leaders to help ensure that everyone has the option to age well and in the community.  

Read the full article here.

Citation: Bonnie Ewald, Robyn Golden, Strengthening Community Supports and Health Services: An Imperative for Health Equity and Aging in Community, Public Policy & Aging Report, Volume 33, Issue 3, 2023, Pages 80–85, https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/prad014