Livability Domains and Community Responses to COVID-19

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Respect and Social Inclusion
Create online
programming forschools and senior
care facilities on
topics of sharedinterest to students
and older adults
Ask children to make and deliver
greeting cards to Meals on Wheels
recipients and people in senior
care facilities

Transportation
Modify transit
schedules,stations andseating toenable social
distancing
Provide specialized services foressential workers
Suspend transit fares
Increase paratransit services
Enlist volunteers to deliver needed
items to people who can't leavetheir homes or use their usual
modes of transportation
Illustrations from iStock

The AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities informs and inspires local leaders to implement the types of policies andimprovements that make communities more livable for people of all ages — especially older adults. Many of the towns, cities, counties
and states enrolled in the network use the 8 Domains of Livability framework to organize and prioritize their work. In response to theglobal coronavirus pandemic, communities in the network are applying their existing plans, programs and partnerships to all of thedomains (along with commitments to emergency preparedness) in order to protect and assist older residents and other high-risk
individuals. The following examples, shared with us by the communities themselves, show how the use of best practices, creativity andthe power of volunteers can spark innovative ideas and achievable solutions that effectively meet community needs.

Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
Close streets tomotor vehicle
traffic so people
can safely walkand bicycle whilesocial distancing
Automate crossing signals sopedestrians won't need to touch thecrosswalk buttons

Housing
Provide 24/7 services
and shelter forindividuals andfamilies
experiencing
homelessness
Work with local leaders andlegislators to enact and enforce a
moratorium on evictions
Capitalize on relationships withfunding sources to provide financial
assistance to older adults and others
struggling with housing costs
Create a housing grant program forpeople with low-incomes and/or a job
loss due to COVID-19

Social Participation
Start a daily,
community-wide"appreciationclap" for healthcare workers andfirst responders
Create a drive-in theater by projecting
a movie onto a wall near a parking lot
Host a "dragging Main" event soresidents can get out and see otherpeople by driving slowly along theircommunity's main roadway
Ask local entertainers to perform
online or outside of their homes

Communication and Information
Work withbusinesses andinternet service
providers to expand
access to affordable
high-speed internet

Create a "friendly voice" call programfor checking on people who live alone
Establish information hotlines anddistribute "necessity bags" that
contain needed supplies

Health Services andCommunity Supports
Work with municipal
offices, houses ofworship and first
responders tocoordinate deliveries
and visits to people
who can't go out
Provide vouchers for groceries andhousehold goods to residents in need
Expand where SNAP (supplementalnutrition assistance program)benefits can be used
Conduct wellness checks andimplement quarantine measures insenior care facilities
Prioritize assistance to people with
underlying medical conditions
Stock book-swap boxes (such as Little
Free Libraries) with needed items
Improve access to fresh foods fromfarm stands, farmers’ markets orcommunity supported agriculture(CSA) harvests by enabling pre-orders
and providing free or low-cost graband-go and home delivery options

Civic Participationand Employment
Connect people
with educationaland social
opportunities
through online"virtual" academies
Promote online volunteerism foradvocacy or service campaigns
Foster local economic assets, suchas maker spaces or by adapting
commercial properties for needed
but temporary uses

Emergency Preparedness
Add safety
resources andtips to utility
bills and local
government
mailings
Create tool kits that can help
older adults manage in theevent of a power outage, foodshortages or other disruptions
Use or adapt existing emergency
plans and resources© AARP May 2020 | All rights reserved | Questions? Contact the AARP Livable Communities initiative by email at Livable@AARP.org.