Age-Friendly Innovation Center’s (AFIC) Marisa Sheldon and Christine Happel recently interviewed by the Now at Ohio State podcast

Congratulations to the Age-Friendly Innovation Center’s (AFIC) Marisa Sheldon and Christine Happel who were recently interviewed by the Now at Ohio State podcast. In Episode 29, center director Sheldon and assistant director Happel address the topic, Making Mobility More Accessible, and how AFIC strives to remove mobility hardships to make transportation available to everyone.

The discussion covered how important transportation is to older adults and how access impacts mental and physical health, independence and autonomy. Partnerships with Central Ohio Transit Authority, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging and Lyft—just to name a few—allow the center to assess the entire alternative transportation spectrum for supporting older adults in communities.

While the podcast focused primarily on mobility, it also touched on many issues such as inclusive language for the aging population, housing, and emergency preparedness. Walkability and safe places to walk were also points of interest.

Taking a holistic approach, AFIC’s goal is to influence communities to bring older adults into conversations through assessment and planning to move forward strategies that will make communities age friendly.

“Transportation affects the whole spectrum of the life of an older adult,” says Sheldon. “The research-informed work that we do is rare in the age-friendly network, and we want to make sure that we can get our findings out into communities across the United States. The center allows us to expand beyond our county borders and really push out our knowledge across Ohio and the country.”

As the 64th community member in the United States, Columbus joined the Age-Friendly Communities network in 2016 when the World Health Organization noticed a change in demographics worldwide. Today over 900 Age-Friendly communities exist across the United States and over 1,600 globally.

To listen to the podcast, click here.