Good Neighbor Initiative

Good neighborliness seems to be a value baked into us at an early age. How many of us watched our parents check in with neighbors or relatives to make sure they were okay and see if they needed help that could readily be provided? 


This spirit is alive and well in our EBA community. We members of LiveAgeWell recognize that some of our residents, especially those living alone, would like to feel more connected. We are eager to reach out to our EBA neighbors, making sure that we are not isolated from one another, especially in times of need. 

To further that goal, LiveAgeWell has organized the Good Neighbor Initiative (GNI), a system in which two EBA residents agree to check in with each other on a regular basis. (NOTE: GNI has been organized to serve EBA residents only.)  You may already have such an arrangement, or you may know who your GNI partner could be. You may wish to have a partner check on you but don’t know whom to approach. Or you may be willing to serve as a Good Neighbor, even though you are not in need of a partner for yourself at this time. LiveAgeWell can help people find partners. 

If you think you might wish to put your name on the list of potential partners and receive a copy of the list, first read the Good Neighbor Initiative Guidelines below. Then, to become an active participant in GNI, fill out the Good Neighbor Initiative Request form (found in the Forms section of this website), and submit it using the green SUBMIT button at the bottom of the form. Alternatively, you can print and fill out the form by hand and put it in in-house Mailbox 285. Printing instructions can be found in the Forms section.


The list will be sent out upon request to anyone on the list seeking to have and/or offering to be a GNI partner. This list is confidential, so please do not circulate it to anyone. Peruse the list, which has two parts: the first for those looking for a buddy, and the second for those willing to be a buddy. Once you have found a partner, we strongly recommend that you consult the Good Neighbor Initiative Guidelines below for establishing your GNI relationship.


When you find a partner, or if you no longer wish to participate in GNI, please remove yourself from the latest list by emailing GNI (agingwell5555@gmail.com) or putting a note in in-house Mailbox 318.


If, for any reason, your arrangement doesn't work out and you want to find a new partner, print out a GNI Request Form (under Forms ) and put it in in-house Mailbox 318 (or if you can't print out the form, put a note in in-house Mailbox 318, and we will supply you with one).


LiveAgeWell is an independent group of EBA residents that focuses on promoting living long and well in an intergenerational community. We have no legal relationship to or sponsorship by the EBAC, which in no way is responsible or liable for our initiatives.

FAQs for the Good Neighbor Initiative


What is the Good Neighbor Initiative?

The Good Neighbor Initiative (GNI) is a buddy system that pairs up people who agree to check in with each other on a regular basis. It was developed in the belief that many of us are eager to reach out to other residents, especially those living alone, and that many residents would like to feel more connected. We want to make sure that we are not isolated from one another, especially in times of need.


What kinds of help might be offered by one EBA resident to another?

In the course of checking in with a resident who has requested this service, a Good Neighbor may become aware of other kinds of assistance that could prove helpful. Such assistance might include running an errand to pick up a prescription or an item of food or another household necessity; helping to find something in the apartment; helping to read or write a letter or document; providing assistance with a computer challenge; or simply reading aloud from a favorite book.


However, assistance must not include anything that involves physical interaction with the buddy. So, for example, helping to bathe a resident who can no longer safely enter and exit a shower or bathtub unassisted should not be undertaken, nor should helping to cook for or feed the buddy, trying to move someone who has fallen, or attempting to revive a resident whom one finds in an unconscious state. (For further guidance, see the FAQ entitled “What is the purpose of the LiveAgeWell Good Neighbor Initiative Agreement?”) Also, any involvement with a resident’s legal, tax, investment, banking, or other financial affairs must be considered off limits. 


What is the risk of legal liability, for me, for LiveAgeWell, or for Edgewater Beach Apartments Corporation in the event that a buddy is injured or suffers legal or financial challenges while participating in the Good Neighbor Initiative?

Provided the guidelines in the previous section are scrupulously followed, the risk of liability is very low. In addition, LiveAgeWell has requested that all participants in GNI complete two important forms containing recommendations that, if followed, will further reduce liability: 

Both forms and instructions for their completion can be found in the Forms section of this website.


How will I know who is seeking help or offering help?

Please contact Susan Rossen in in in-house Mailbox (318), or by phone (773 878 7563). She keeps a list of EBA residents, along with their contact information, who have indicated a desire to participate in GNI. She will make sure that those whose names she provides are indeed prepared to become a buddy. It is then up to you to contact them.