Session abstract: Environmental and policy change to support healthy aging

A growing body of research points to the influence of the social, physical and built environment upon older adult health behaviors and outcomes. To date, however, activity to promote environmental policy change to support healthy aging and prevent and/or delay functional decline and disability has been limited. This symposium will articulate strategies for improving aging policy during the second decade of the twenty-first century, specifically addressing challenges to healthy and vital aging that exist in the environment, with attention to mobility, socioemotional well-being, and function. Presentations will explain the rationale and evidence for environmental and policy change. Presenters will describe the tools and resources needed to create environmental policy changes and the steps that necessary to build capacity for effective policy design, implementation and evaluation. One presenter will focus on the impact of climate change and environmental hazards on healthy aging, while the second will discuss the relationship between built environment factors and older adult mobility and well-being. A third presenter will identify promising strategies for policy change at national, state and community levels along with examples of policy tools and their successful use. A fourth presenter will describe the challenges involved in building stakeholder capacity to successfully engage in design, implementation and evaluation of environmental policy change, drawing upon lessons learned in the work of the CDC Healthy Aging Research Network (HAN). Resources will be shared. Discussion will focus on cross-cutting themes and imperatives for action across disciplines and sectors in the immediate future.