“You take your life into your hands when trying to cross the street.”
-A participant in our Community Conversations series: Randolph, December 5, 2019
Exactly one year ago, in January 2019, CHNA 20 launched a new program designed to address one of the social determinants that contribute to health disparities in our region. Based on our own data, conversations with partners and stakeholders, and data gathered for the South Shore Hospital Needs Assessment, we chose to focus deeply on solving the problem of transportation equity in our region. Realizing that a lack of reliable transportation is one of our region’s most prevalent social determinants of health led us to create the Blue Hills Regional Coordinating Council (Blue Hills RCC), a voluntary group of stakeholders collaborating to address regional transportation needs. The Blue Hills RCC also supports Metro Quincy’s transition to an Age-Friendly Community by helping to address mobility and transportation access issues for older adults and other populations who would benefit greatly from increased accessibility.
To get a better sense of the perspectives and lived experiences of those in the Metro Quincy communities, CHNA 20 and the Blue Hills RCC have been hosting Community Conversations in various cities and towns across the region. The sessions have been attended by municipal officials, community-based organizations and residents who care about improving transportation systems and want to lend their voices to the project.
“In our lives, we’re all going to face disabilities (whether that is getting older, or even just having a broken bone). We need to realize that we’re not just making something for those who have a disability, but for all of us.”
So far, we’ve held Community Conversations in Randolph and Quincy, co-hosted by our partners at UMass Boston’s Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging. In just those two sessions, we’ve already heard agreement on a number of key issues, including:
Limited and/or unreliable public transportation
Limited walkability
Inaccessibility of transportation-related information, especially due to technological or language barriers
Demand for alternative transportation such as Council on Aging vans exceeds the supply
While each of these barriers presents a near-universal challenge, the accessibility issues are greater for those with mobility issues and/or disabilities. Community members participating in our conversations clearly believed that improving access for the most vulnerable residents would create a safer and more accessible system for all.
“What’s good for older adults is good for everyone.”
Many participants in our Community Conversations were concerned about additional consequences of transportation barriers. While we often discuss the obvious health-related outcomes such as missed medical appointments and lack of access to appropriate care, our sessions clearly showed that there are other concerns at play. The social isolation experienced by seniors and those in more remote geographic areas who can’t effectively access transportation options was a key issue raised by our participants. Creating a better system to reduce social isolation among older adults would have positive impacts on the whole community, providing everyone with greater access to the social supports they need to thrive.
“How can we work with businesses to encourage accessibility?”
Both conversations demonstrated that our region has a number of strengths that can be used to help solve transportation challenges. Our participants noted that the Metro Quincy region benefits from its diversity, compassionate community partners, and committed public safety officials. However, attendees also spoke of frustrations with the lack of collaboration between sectors and different cities and towns. The support of nonprofit organizations and municipal leaders is less effective than it could be, especially in serving the needs of diverse populations and those with mobility challenges. In order to solve the accessibility issues that prevent efficient transportation for community members, we need to work on strengthening connections between different organizations and municipalities to create a regional network that works for everyone.
The remaining community conversations are scheduled for January 2020. To take part in these important opportunities to lend your voice to our project, please sign up here.
Quincy: January 15th, 10 - 11:30am at Quincy Elder Services
Braintree: January 21st, 9:30 - 11am at Braintree Elder Affairs
Weymouth: January 21st, 12:30 - 2pm at Weymouth Elder Services
Hull: January 22nd, 10 - 11:30am at Hull Council on Aging
Milton: January 28th, 12 - 1:30pm at the Milton Public Library
Hingham: January 29th, 10 - 11:3am at Hingham Elder Services