Eldersafety.org

Website: http://www.aarp.org/states/ma/ma-news/is_your_community_livable.html

A livable community facilitates personal independence by offering affordable and appropriate housing, supportive features and services, and adequate mobility options. This website provides specific information about livable communities. It includes a Livable Communities Evaluation Guide and rating tool to help you determine if your community is "livable."

California Department of Health Services, P.O. Box 997413, MS 7211
Sacramento, CA 95899-7413

Phone: (916) 552-9874

E-mail Address: cacenterforpa@dhs.ca.gov

Website: http://www.caphysicalactivity.org/

The California Center for Physical Activity connects people to active-living resources and helps them develop more walkable and bikeable communities. Programs specifically for seniors include the Active Aging Program, which helps provide regular physical activity including strength training and resistive exercises that can halt bone loss, restore muscle mass and strength, improve balance and flexibility, relieve arthritis symptoms, lift depression, aid sleep, help control weight, and improve sense of well being.

Walkable Neighborhoods for Seniors is another project that encourages local coalitions residents, community leaders, and local government officials to improve community walkability for older adults. Coalitions identify and then pursue environmental and policy solutions that improve pedestrian safety and make it easier for older adults to walk in their communities.

This website also links you to the centers Healthy Transportation Network, which assists Californias local officials design more walking- and bike-friendly communities.

Jason Patton, 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 3335
Oakland, CA 94612

Phone: 510-238-7049

Fax: 510-637-0192

E-mail Address: JPatton@oaklandnet.com

Website: www.oaklandnet.com/government/traffic-safety-grant.html

Founded in 1995, the Oakland Pedestrian Safety Project (OPSP) promotes pedestrian safety and access in Oakland, California. Based on the three "E's" of education, enforcement and engineering, the OPSP works with city agencies and community-based organizations to develop comprehensive solutions to pedestrian problems through coalition-building and community outreach.

OPSP has several programs that enhance the safety of older pedestrians in Oakland. Senior Walking groups are organized and provided with walking equipment such as pedometers and safety vests. The Senior Walking Groups receive multilingual pedestrian safety education that includes the basics of crosswalk operation, information about the signal system, and right-of-way issues at unsignalized crosswalks.

With the recent Caltrans approval for in-street signage, OPSP hopes to provide in-street Senior Pedestrian Crossing Signs near senior centers and other locations with high older pedestrian activity.

Website: http://www.mtc.ca.gov/library/oats/Senior_Mobility_Toolkit.pdf

This Senior Mobility Toolkit was released in 2003 by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and Nelson/Nygaard Consulting Associates in the San Francisco Bay Area. The toolkit highlights successful efforts to promote senior mobility in the areas of pedestrian safety, transportation services, funding, using volunteers, housing accessibility modifications, and safe driving. Examples provide ideas that local agencies can adapt to their own circumstances. The site also offers information that advocacy groups and elected officials can use to promote new initiatives. Numerous links to resources on the Web are provided.

Jones Moy (Project Director), Monterey Park Police Department, 320 West Newmark Avenue
Monterey Park, CA 91754

Phone: (626) 307-1221

This project's primary goal is to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities involving Monterey Park's senior population. The program is developing a traffic safety initiative that uses enforcement, education, and publicity as countermeasures that will be delivered in a culturally specific manner.

Jones Moy (Project Director), Monterey Park Police Department, 320 West Newmark Avenue
Monterey Park, CA 91754

Phone: (626) 307-1221

The goal of this program is to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities. The program will aggressively address speed, DUI, pedestrian safety, seat belt compliance, and bicycle helmet education and enforcement.

Website: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/portal/site/nhtsa/menuitem.31176b9b03647a189ca8e410dba046a0/

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has many injury prevention resources for available on the NHTSA web site for older road users. Older road users include drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. NHTSA's mission with respect to older road users is to keep them safely mobile through programs directed toward reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities among older people. Through research and outreach activities, NHTSA's programs help aging individuals recognize their changing abilities and adapt their transportation practices appropriately. Whether driving, walking or cycling, if unsafe choices are made, family friends, physicians, other health-care providers, and licensing officials can be pivotal in providing older persons with options for maintaining safe mobility. These individuals can also identify drivers with functional limitations that impair driving performance and direct older drivers to safer transportation alternatives.

The web site includes information about research and programs that enhance older adult traffic safety as well as educational information for older road users. Examples of publications available for downloading include:

• Evaluating Drivers with Medical Conditions in Utah

• Model Driver Screening and Evaluation Program

• Older Road User Research Plan

• Safe Driving for Older Adults

• A Compendium of Law Enforcement Older Driver Programs

• Family and Friends Concerned about an Older Driver

• Brochures about driving with various health conditions

Michael Radetsky

Phone: 415-581-2418

E-mail Address: Michael.radetsky@sfdph.org

As pedestrians, older San Franciscans are substantially over-represented among pedestrian fatalities and injuries. They are also hindered in their independence and community involvement by an unfortunately appropriate fear of traveling about. While the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Program does not have a separate program for seniors, we work very closely with a number of local senior-serving agencies and advocacy groups. The Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Program has also funded a variety of senior pedestrian safety oriented community projects. For the past 3 years, the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Program has been fortunate to have an on-staff epidemiologist focused on pedestrian injury to analyze pedestrian safety and injury issues, including senior issues, and has created reports that have helped to focus attention on these issues.

Officer Natalie Dewberry

Phone: 310-458-2201 x 4847

E-mail Address: Natalie-dewberry@ci.santa-monica.ca.us

"BE SAFE ~ BE SEEN," a new traffic safety program focusing on senior pedestrian safety has "hit the streets". Pedestrian Safety is an issue that affects pedestrians of all ages, but is especially important for the senior community who tend to walk more often and get injured more easily. The program goal is to raise awareness so that pedestrians will consciously think about safety as they go about their daily lives and take extra precautions. The program has also produced a video on older pedestrian safety.

To schedule a presentation at a local event, service organization meeting or senior assisted-living facilities contact Officer Natalie Dewberry in the Santa Monica Police Department's Traffic Enforcement Office at (310) 458-8993. This project was funded by a federal grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Tom Vu, Program Coordinator

Phone: 916-444-5864

E-mail Address: tvu@saclung.org

Website: www.walksacramento.org

The goal of the Walkable Neighborhoods for Senior Program is to organize groups of seniors to be advocates for all types of improvements to make their walking environment better and safer in all ways. This is accomplished through several objectives:

• Neighborhood Identification
  Using a list of criteria, several neighborhoods were chosen that are low-income, high-minority communities. Statistics show that people of ethnic backgrounds are more prone to pedestrian/vehicle collisions, and this tendency increases with age.

• Organization of Senior Walking Groups
  In partnership with the 50+ Wellness Program of the City of Sacramento, senior walking groups are organized. These groups also serve as advocates to lobby for improvement of the walking environment.

• Identifying Problems
  The senior walking groups identify barriers to walking in their community. This could be anything from crime, poorly designed sidewalks, lack of lighting, etc.

• Drafting a Long Term Action Plan
  With input from residents and transportation officials, a long-term action plan is drafted that provides a variety of options that residents can adopt to enhance their walking environment.

This program has provided health benefits to participants and a renewed sense of community. Neighbors are meeting for the first time, and elected officials and government representatives are meeting with constituents. WALKSacramento also conducts other projects that are not aimed solely on older adults, such as the Safe Routes Sacramento Program.