We presented our Neighborhood-friendly age assessment projects this past Wednesday and I thought it went pretty well!
During our two site visits of Hillcrest, I learned so much about what the neighborhood had to offer to its citizens in terms of community centers and environment. Just by luck, we came across the Alzheimer's daycare center for seniors and the staff there were nice enough to let us in and talk about their programs and what they do there. We were also able to visit LeStat’s which is one of Hillcrest’s most famous coffee shops, and walk around the LGBTQ+ Center where everyone was so welcoming and friendly. It was nice to see so many programs supporting the underserved like FOG, a club for older gays to get together and have a good time. Researching about Hillcrest together with my group was such a meaningful experience because it allowed us to dive deeper and understand what it meant for a neighborhood to be age-friendly.
Overall, this project was very meaningful to me because it changed the way I saw cities. I would find myself thinking about how clean the sidewalks were, how accessible the restaurants and stores were, or look for bus stops and benches with shade whenever I was outside. I would also pay attention to the housing options in each city I visit, and think about if they offer affordable housing. I realized I truly became a Life Course Scholar when I notice myself thinking about the WHO checklist whenever I walked along the street.
During our two site visits of Hillcrest, I learned so much about what the neighborhood had to offer to its citizens in terms of community centers and environment. Just by luck, we came across the Alzheimer's daycare center for seniors and the staff there were nice enough to let us in and talk about their programs and what they do there. We were also able to visit LeStat’s which is one of Hillcrest’s most famous coffee shops, and walk around the LGBTQ+ Center where everyone was so welcoming and friendly. It was nice to see so many programs supporting the underserved like FOG, a club for older gays to get together and have a good time. Researching about Hillcrest together with my group was such a meaningful experience because it allowed us to dive deeper and understand what it meant for a neighborhood to be age-friendly.
Overall, this project was very meaningful to me because it changed the way I saw cities. I would find myself thinking about how clean the sidewalks were, how accessible the restaurants and stores were, or look for bus stops and benches with shade whenever I was outside. I would also pay attention to the housing options in each city I visit, and think about if they offer affordable housing. I realized I truly became a Life Course Scholar when I notice myself thinking about the WHO checklist whenever I walked along the street.