Step 2. Where? Determining the Location

Begin by determining the locations available in your community for public meetings and programs.

• Are there free or low-cost meeting rooms?
• Are local businesses willing to provide space?
• Is the location convenient and acceptable to your intended audience?
  • Are the rooms accessible and appropriate for older adults?
  • Are microphones available to accommodate those with hearing loss?
  • Is childcare provided if the target audience has the childcare role in the family, or if family members plan to attend?

Again, return to your goals and your intended audience to focus your location selection. Your format will also help determine the best location: size and privacy considerations for a lecture and small group, or sufficient accommodations for a larger health-fair-type venue. In addition, think of possible partners for the program. They may be able to provide a suitable venue, help with sustained publicity about the event and thereby increase attendance.

What safe and comfortable space near convenient transportation or parking can you use for your program?

Consider personal safety in your choice of locations. Older people may be fearful of some high-crime areas, of young people who may frequent a site, or of their own inability to navigate stairways or public transportation venues such as bus stops or subways. Encourage people to arrive in groups or to carpool for safety. Avoid starting or ending programs during rush hour. The time of day and day of the week that you hold your program can affect participation. Older drivers may only be comfortable driving during the day. However, evenings may be good times for families to drive older people to events, especially if intergenerational participation is desired. Adult children of older individuals may be informal caregivers, potentially responsible for their parents' future transportation or driving decisions.

Take into account religious observances during the week. For example, among some denominations, Wednesday night is reserved for religious study or family services.

Some location ideas for a driving-safety program:

• Senior centers
• Automobile clubs
• Continuing-care communities
  • These often have community rooms and residents who are an ideal audience for driving-wellness programs
• Other housing sites with a large older population
  • Some urban centers have apartment complexes that cater to older adults
• Civic groups
  • These may include clubs that own facilities, such as Elks and Moose lodges, Veteran's of Foreign Wars (VFW) posts
  • You may seek an invitation to meetings and present where members congregate, such as restaurants or churches
• Pharmacies, especially if they cater to an older population
  • Driving and medication-related impairments are of concern to pharmacists too
• Community rooms in county buildings or libraries
• Community colleges
• Hospitals and clinics
  • They may connote illness and frailty to some audiences but they are respected sources of information for others
• Religious and spiritual institutions
  • Certain religious institutions may be uncomfortable for some cultural groups