Healthy Communities Conversation on healthy homes & communities: Summary

This is a summary of the conversations facilitated by Centre for Healthy Communities on April 29, 2021. The Healthy Communities Conversation focused on ‘Healthy homes, healthy communities - what does it mean in a post-COVID future?'

Key Highlights:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to our homes and communities. With this renewed attention has come an appreciation and understanding about the value of diversity, infrastructure, walkability, green spaces, community engagement, and local exploration.
• The pandemic has also drawn attention to the non-medical determinants of health, such as the physical environment of our homes and communities and how they are connected to our social and mental health, and wellbeing.
  • One example of and adjustment that was made as a result of the pandemic was pivoting to outdoor, socially-distanced meetings which combined a sense of community with an appreciation for the physical built environment around us.
  • Additionally, for those with the privilege to be able to connect to the virtual spaces from the comfort of their homes created an opportunity for connection and engagement that may have been limited previously.
• Identified positive aspects identified with having healthy homes and communities within the pandemic context included: increased accessibility for people with disabilities to engage in events, activities, meetings, etc.; and increased awareness about checking in with friends, family, and co-workers to develop support networks and social participation.
• Identified negative consequences of pivots needed to be made as a result of the pandemic included: loss of local businesses; inability to use outdoor physical spaces; fewer social gatherings which lead to greater feelings of isolation; and siloed public health action to create safe, healthy homes and communities.
• Moving forward a few considerations for supporting healthy homes and communities in Alberta include: fostering transportation and accessibility of spaces in all communities (rural, suburban, and urban) to reduce isolation; the importance of global communities; consider the potential inequities created in virtual spaces; begin planning for a future shift to hybrid-form of work in which the home is evolved into a workspace; and promoting community power, participation, and social innovation.

Additional Resource:

• For additional information on how healthy communities and homes impact your wellbeing, visit healthcommunitiesathome.com. This website was released in January 2022 (after the above conversation) but summarizes the many important factors that shape opportunities to have healthy homes and healthy communities.