Towards global age-friendly cities: determining urban features that promote active aging

Area of Science:

• Urban planning
• Gerontology
• Public health

Background:

• Global urban populations are aging rapidly.
• Cities need strategies to support their growing older resident demographic.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) developed resources to promote age-friendly urban environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and define the essential features of age-friendly cities across diverse global contexts.
• To provide practical tools for cities to assess and enhance their age-friendliness.

Main Methods:

• Collaborated with partners in 35 cities across developed and developing countries.
• Conducted 158 focus groups with individuals aged 60+ (n=1,485) in lower- and middle-income areas.
• Held additional focus groups with caregivers (n=250) and service providers (n=515).

Main Results:

• Identified eight key domains of urban life crucial for age-friendliness: outdoor spaces, transportation, housing, social participation, respect, civic engagement, communication, and community support.
• Found that physical accessibility, service proximity, security, affordability, and inclusiveness are universally important.
• Observed more positive age-friendly features in developed countries, but core issues were consistent globally.

Conclusions:

• A core set of features for age-friendly cities has been identified based on global input.
• The WHO Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide and Checklist offer a framework for urban assessment and planning.
• These resources empower communities to evaluate and improve their readiness for an aging population.