Tag Archives: neighborhoods

Groups aim to reinvent neighborhoods with eye on health

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Photo: Courtesy of Carol Naughton/Purpose Built Communities

Amid growing awareness about “ZIP code” health disparities, some struggling areas are trying new ways to reinvent their communities and move residents toward better health and wellness.

Some of these projects involve health experts and housing developers to help get local officials out of their silos and into multi-sector projects that will overhaul poorer urban neighborhoods, where maintaining good health can be challenging, two such experts told AHCJ members during a recent webcast. Continue reading →

Susan Heavey, (@susanheavey) a Washington, D.C.-based journalist, is AHCJ’s topic leader on social determinants of health and curates related material at healthjournalism.org. She welcomes questions and suggestions on resources and tip sheets at determinants@healthjournalism.org.

AHCJ webcast to look at role of communities in terms of wellness, health

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Photo: dmitryzhkov via FlickrA May 25 webcast will examine the role of communities on health, including space utilization, affordable housing, area resources and more.

How do housing, along with space, community resources and other development issues, combine to impact health? From infrastructure to proximity to parks, an increasing amount of attention being is to how one’s surrounding space directly impacts wellness and disease.

Two experts will discuss the connection during a May 25 AHCJ webcast that will look at both the medical impact as well from a community planning perspective. Continue reading →

Susan Heavey, (@susanheavey) a Washington, D.C.-based journalist, is AHCJ’s topic leader on social determinants of health and curates related material at healthjournalism.org. She welcomes questions and suggestions on resources and tip sheets at determinants@healthjournalism.org.

What to know when reporting about age-friendly cities 

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Photo: Jennie-o via Flickr

Photo: Jennie-o via Flickr

You may be familiar with the term “age friendly city,” but do you know what goes into being one?

It’s a concept we’ll likely be hearing more about as the worldwide older population is poised to surpass those under age 65 by mid-century. As people around the globe age, cities and communities face some major challenges – from providing elder-friendly public transportation to venues that welcome older adults to “walkable” neighborhoods that enable their inclusion in community life. Continue reading →

Liz Seegert is an independent health journalist and AHCJ’s topic leader on aging. She covers older adults, baby boomers, health policy, and social determinants of health, as well as many other health issues. Her bylines include stories for PBS/NextAvenue.org. the American Journal of Nursing, TIME Health, Medscape, Consumer Reports, and Medical Economics, as well as dozens of other trade and mainstream media. Her articles have been syndicated in Forbes.com, the Los Angeles Times, the Hartford Courant, the Saturday Evening Post and other major outlets.