2018PROGRESS REPORT

AGE-FRIENDLY COLUMBUS AND FRANKLIN COUNTY

agefriendlycolumbus.org DEAR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, It is important to start our progress report by at this same time that the Franklin County reflecting on just how far we have come. Commissioners passed legislation to expand In 2016, we completed our city-wide our work across Franklin County. age-friendly assessment through a random In 2018, Age-Friendly worked, completed or sample survey, focus groups held in six made progress on 14 strategies, ranging from languages, and surveying at various events. In creating new programs to securing funding total, we heard from nearly 1,200 older adults to increase capacity of current programs. We over the course of six months. Our initiative engaged 12 students and eight faculty from started at The Mid- Regional Planning multiple disciplines including city and regional Commission, outside of the typical “aging planning, nursing, veterinary medicine, design, world,” to challenge cross-sector leaders to theatre and engineering in research activities, work with an “age-in-everything lens.” We including writing publications, grants and dedicated ourselves to planning with, not for, conference presentations. Implementation is our older adults. For us, that meant committees an emotional rollercoaster of fast deadlines, made up of content experts (professionals savvy collaboration, political tip-toeing and working in transit, housing, development, good old-fashioned grass-roots scrappiness. aging, and elected officials) and “experience Each day, we have the privilege of asking our experts” (older adults and individuals with elders what they want and need, gathering disabilities) totaling over 125 volunteers. their ideas for improvements, then identifying We analyzed our data and reconvened our community organizations capable and committees over the course of 2017. Through interested in leading these improvements. multiple committee meetings and a national And, in a perfect world, securing funding to best-practices review, we created a list of empower organizations to do so. As often as potential strategies to make our community possible, our strategies include an element of more age-friendly. We took these strategies an “elder advisory council,” or integrate older and tested them with older adults through a adult volunteers. public workshop. This robust public outreach Although heralded as one of the leading and planning resulted in our strategic plan. cities in the U.S. Network of Age-Friendly Every decision, committee, focus group and Communities, the spirit of this initiative strategy was informed by a cross-sector, lives in our neighborhoods. Whether it’s park multi-generational approach. revitalizations, community focus groups or After completing the research and planning intergenerational cookouts, this initiative phases, we were faced with the decision of celebrates the strength and wisdom of our where to house the implementation phase of elders. Under the mission of Ohio State’s this critical work. The College of Social Work, Age-Friendly believes College of Social Work was the natural choice in dignity and worth of individuals, no matter under the leadership of Lisa Durham, assistant their age, ability or . And with our dean of Strategic Initiatives and Community partners at Franklin County, we will continue to Engagement. The work of Age-Friendly expand this work across our region to ensure was, and continues to be, a reflection of we can all thrive as we age. their dedication to excellence in research, Thank you for your continued support and service, community well-being, and social and contribution. economic justice for vulnerable populations. We made the intentional decision to open Sincerely, an office in Blackburn Community Center, an active recreation center just outside of downtown Columbus, that would allow us Katie White, Director of Age-Friendly to lead grass-roots advocacy efforts. It was Communities, Columbus and Franklin County INTRODUCTION Age-Friendly Columbus entered the World Health Organization and AARP International Network of Age-Friendly Communities in 2016. Working with an advisory council, older adults and individuals with disabilities, a year-long research and assessment phase, followed by a year-long strategic planning phase, resulted in two publications: the Age-Friendly Columbus Findings Report and the Age-Friendly Columbus Strategic Plan. Both documents are available online at agefriendlycolumbus.org.

Under the leadership of The Ohio State University College of Social Work, Age-Friendly Columbus is now in the implementation phase. As part of the implementation phase, Franklin County leaders committed to strengthening our efforts through a county-wide expansion. This expansion is made possible through research, inclusive planning and innovative leadership.

Together, we are Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County.

WORKING TOWARD IMPROVEMENT IN EIGHT FOCUS AREAS ■■ Outdoor Spaces and ■■ Respect, Inclusion and Social Buildings Participation

■■ Transportation ■■ Employment and Civic Engagement

■■ Housing ■■ Communication and Information

■■ Safety and Emergency ■■ Community Support and Health Preparedness Services

CENTRAL OHIO’S 65 AND 40% OF THE COLUMBUS COLUMBUS IS PART OF AN OVER POPULATION WILL POPULATION FEELS ITS INTERNATIONAL NETWORK DOUBLE BY 2050 COMMUNITY HAS NEGATIVE EMBRACING AGE-FRIENDLY STEREOTYPES OF OLDER ADULTS STRATEGIES

agefriendlycolumbus.org | 3 PROGRESS ON STRATEGIES

Note: The strategy numbers and letters listed below refer to the strategy numbers outlined in the Age-Friendly Strategic Plan. To review the full plan, visit agefriendlycolumbus.org.

Strategy 1: Encourage Strategy 4: Encourage the businesses to become use of multi-modal Age-Friendly transportation options a. Checklist created and a. Secured funding and completed peer-reviewed; over community-led planning for 50 businesses reviewed by circulator to be piloted on the Village in the Ville members ; secured community b. 260 attendees of Gateway Film partners, Greater Hilltop Area Center Age-Friendly movie Shalom Zone and Clintonville screenings Community Resources Center, to lead circulator c. Social Work PhD student completed literature review b. Co-wrote grant to fund travel and focus group, instrument training programs in Franklin County creation and subsequent c. Served on the Ohio Department of trainings underway Transportation’s Mature Road User d. Partnership with Better Statewide Committee Business Bureau of Central Ohio created, list of Age-Friendly Strategy 5: Empower older businesses created on www.bbbAgeFriendly.org adults to prepare their homes to safely age in place a. Five workshops on eviction Strategy 3: Increase prevention with a total of the walkability of sidewalks 150 attendees held by Columbus and streets City Council, Legal Aid Society, and a. Implemented Blackburn Better Next Generation; co-hosted two Block, a tactical urbanism housing stabilization roundtables project, on the Near East Side; with with best-practices document created 152 attendees d. Piloted Age-Friendly Student in Residence at Ohio Living Westminster Thurber

4 | 2018 Year End Report Strategy 6: Increase access Strategy 12: Increase access to to programs and information information through a variety that allow older adults to age of communication channels in community c. Quantified the positive outcomes b. Completed focus groups on the of the Senior Services Roundtable Hilltop with United Westside through a report on the analyses on Coalition and Greater Hilltop requests, referrals and connections Area Shalom Zone that showed community interest and need for a Strategy 14: Shift negative Hilltop Village; held Franklin County Village Training with 30 attendees stereotypes around aging a. Curriculum created and presentations given; Strategy 8: Prepare older launched #buttonupageism adults and first responders to campaign—promoted to react effectively in case of a national, international and personal emergency intergenerational audiences b. Columbus Division of Fire secured b. Engaged 249 individuals in funding for 560 Knox Boxes (small intergenerational programming safes that hold keys to access buildings in case of emergency) Strategy 16: Support c. Columbus Division of Fire and the grandparents raising Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging grandchildren piloted a paramedicine program b. Joined Ohio Grandparent/Kinship d. The Central Ohio Area Agency on Coalition; supported Advocacy Day Agency conducted trainings for at the Statehouse 220 First Responders

Strategy 18: Expand Strategy 10: Promote Age-Friendly mission across intergenerational civic Franklin County participation, cooperation and inclusion a. Convened 12 Franklin County communities to educate on a. Partnered with Metro Early College Age-Friendly practices, gather Middle School to conduct Change information from communities AGEnts class and provide mentorship to b. Presented Age-Friendly guide expansion Communities content across various Ohio State disciplines

agefriendlycolumbus.org | 5 2018 TIMELINE

• Hilltop Focus Groups • Age-Friendly • Hackathon Pitch Columbus moves to The Ohio State • Employment For Seniors University College of honors Age-Friendly Social Work with the Charles B. • WOSU story Jenkins Legacy Award • Change AGEnts featuring classes taught at Age-Friendly • Countywide training on Metro Middle School Villages

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Summer BBQs begin • Ribbon cutting at • Blackburn Community • Intergenerational Center mentor groups at Blackburn • Franklin County Commissioners • Marisa Sheldon, enter AARP Livable Age-Friendly Communities Network assistant director, hired

6 | 2018 Year End Report 2018 • Press conference • The Ohio Grandparent/ announcing Kinship Coalition Hilltop Village and GrandRally at the Circulator funding Statehouse • Senior Services Roundtable presentation • The Stillman, the College by MSW/CSW student of Social Work’s alumni team magazine, publishes cover story on Age-Friendly

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

• Co-hosted the • Blackburn Better Block • Age-Friendly Employer Big Table with the Focus Group with Human • BSSW Student Thesis Columbus Women’s Resources Professionals Classes on Dance Commission Hilltop Circulator • Near East Side • Employment For Community Meeting • Housing Panel Seniors Career Expo • Age-Friendly Franklin County Convening • NorthWest Columbus Focus Group

2018 agefriendlycolumbus.org | 7 OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT

2018 HIGHLIGHTS

Presentation attendees: 3,016

Focus groups attendees: 216

Stakeholder convening attendees: 1,167

FEATURED PUBLICATIONS

■■ Smart Cities Dive: “To build an inclusive smart city, look through an age-friendly lens”

■■ WOSU Columbus Neighborhoods: “Aging in Columbus”

■■ Columbus Dispatch: “ Neighbors come together for beautification project, block party”

■■ Columbus Dispatch/US News: “Who will take dad to the grocery store? “Village” movement helps older residents stay in their homes”

■■ Columbus Dispatch: “City Program to Help Older Hilltop Residence”

■■ Meeting of the Minds Blog: “Lessons Learned from Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County”

8 | 2018 Year End Report PRESENTATIONS AND CONFERENCES

■■ Health Policy Institute of Ohio Panelist, Dublin, Ohio

■■ Aging Conference Panelist on Age-Friendly Policy, Akron, Ohio

■■ Center for Urban and Regional Analyses Panelist on Mobility and Equity, Columbus, Ohio

■■ The Transition Network Presentation on Reducing Ageism, Westerville, Ohio

■■ AARP Caregiving Panelist, Columbus, Ohio

■■ International Federation on Aging Poster Presentation, Toronto, Canada

■■ College of Social Work Community Engagement and Action Conference Keynote, Columbus, Ohio

■■ Regional Women in Transportation Conference Presentation, Minneapolis, Minnesota

■■ Older Presbyterian Ministries Network Presentation, Columbus, Ohio

■■ University of Montana Aging Well Conference Keynote, Missoula, Montana

■■ AARP Livable Communities National Conference Presentations, Charlotte, North Carolina

agefriendlycolumbus.org | 9 AGE-FRIENDLY RESEARCH Led by Associate Professor Dr. Holly Dabelko-Schoeny and supported by Research Associate Ian Murphy, we engaged 12 students and eight faculty from multiple disciplines across The Ohio State University over the course of 2018. Individuals from social work, city and regional planning, nursing, veterinary medicine, design, theatre and engineering collaborated on research activities and collaborated on writing publications, grants and conference presentations.

HIGHLIGHTS

■■ Dr. Holly Dabelko-Schoeny received funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation and the Ohio Department of Medicaid along with a team of interdisciplinary scholars and students to support key projects in our strategic planning including Safe Routes to Age in Place; POP (Pet Owner and Pet) Care: Turning Sick Care into Well Care for Homebound Older Adults and Their Pet; and Medicaid Equity Simulation Project, Building Empathy in Patient Care in Virtual Reality Simulation for Practitioners.

■■ Doctoral student Mi Sun Choi published a paper on Access to employment, volunteer activities, community events and perceptions of age-friendliness: The role of social connectedness in the Journal of Applied Gerontology.

■■ Dr. Dabelko-Schoeny and City and Regional Planning student Emily Long and former social work doctoral student Kathy Lee hosted a symposium titled Research Contributions from the U.S. to the Age-Friendly Community Movement at the Gerontological Society of America’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.

10 | 2018 Year End Report FUNDERS AND COLLABORATORS This work cannot be accomplished without our partners. Thank you:

■■ AARP Livable ■■ Columbus Department of ■■ Ohio Living Westminster Communities Recreation and Parks Thurber ■■ AARP Ohio ■■ Columbus Department of ■■ Legal Aid Society of ■■ Advanced Access LLC Public Service Columbus ■■ Autumn Theodore ■■ Columbus Division of Fire ■■ Metro Middle School Photography ■■ Columbus City Council ■■ The Senior Services ■■ Better Business Bureau of ■■ Employment for Seniors Roundtable Central Ohio ■■ Franklin County Office on ■■ Team Better Block ■■ Central Ohio Area Agency Aging ■■ The United Westside on Aging ■■ Franklin County Coalition ■■ Clintonville Community Commissioners ■■ The Columbus Resources Center ■■ Franklin County Auditor Foundation ■■ Columbus Next ■■ Funkhouse Media ■■ The Ohio State University Generation ■■ Gateway Film Center College of Social Work ■■ The City of Columbus ■■ Greater Columbus ■■ The Ohio State University Mayor Andrew J. Ginther Network of Villages Knowlton School of ■■ Columbus Department of ■■ Greater Hilltop Area Architecture, City and Development Shalom Zone Regional Planning ■■ Columbus Department of ■■ Ohio Department of Program Neighborhoods Transportation

FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMUNITIES

2018 Franklin County communities engaged in Age-Friendly efforts

Plain Westerville Dublin Township Worthington New Albany Hilliard

Gahanna Upper Arlington

Prairie Columbus Whitehall Township Grandview Bexley Franklin Township

Village of Obetz

Lockbourne Katie White, Director [email protected] HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED? (614) 549-7980

Marisa Sheldon, Are you a student? MSW, LISW-S, Assistant Director Email [email protected] [email protected] (614) 549-7980

Are you looking for Lisa Durham, MSW, LISW, Assistant Dean, Strategic community connections? Initiatives and Community Email [email protected] Engagement [email protected]

Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, Are you interested in research? Ph.D., Associate Professor Email [email protected] [email protected]

Ian Murphy, MPH, Research Associate For more information or to sign [email protected] up for our newsletter, visit agefriendlycolumbus.org

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