Building an integrated research/policy planning age-friendly agenda

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Urban Planning
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) established Age-Friendly Philadelphia (AFP) to enhance environments for seniors.
• The PCA Research Program integrated research into AFP to support staff and stakeholders.
• The AFP initiative adopted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Aging Initiative model.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an innovative model for integrating research into policy and planning for age-friendly communities.
• To demonstrate how research can support practice initiatives and improve effectiveness.
• To provide a framework for creating age-friendly communities.

Main Methods:

• Adoption of the U.S. EPA's Aging Initiative model, focusing on activity, development, transportation, and health.
• Collaboration between PCA's Research Program and planners to integrate research findings into policy.
• Presentation of practical examples of research-informed initiatives.

Main Results:

• Development of a novel approach for research integration into policy and planning.
• Increased effectiveness of the Age-Friendly Philadelphia initiative.
• Improved collaborative methods between researchers and professionals in policy, planning, and practice.

Conclusions:

• The PCA model offers a successful framework for creating age-friendly communities.
• Integrating research into policy significantly enhances the effectiveness of age-friendly initiatives.
• The model fosters better collaboration between researchers and practitioners.