Age-Friendly Cities in Latin America: A Human Ecological Framework

Area of Science:

• Urban Planning
• Gerontology
• Public Health

Background:

• Latin America faces demographic aging, yet adoption of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Age-Friendly Cities Framework is low.
• Existing frameworks may not fully address the unique socio-cultural and policy contexts of the Global South.
• Chile, Mexico, and Brazil are exceptions with higher adoption rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a human ecological framework to enhance the applicability of age-friendly city initiatives in Latin America.
• To identify limitations in the current WHO framework for the region.
• To integrate macro (policy) and micro (family support) levels alongside the WHO's meso-level focus.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the WHO's Age-Friendly Cities Framework domains.
• Application of a human ecological perspective (macro, meso, micro levels).
• Comparative consideration of UNICEF's Child-Friendly Cities Initiative for insights into Global South contexts.

Main Results:

• The WHO framework's meso-level focus (built environment, services, participation) is insufficient for Latin America.
• Macro-level policy (migration, demography, social policy) and micro-level support (family, informal care) require greater attention.
• Potential design bias in the WHO framework, possibly oriented towards Global North settings.

Conclusions:

• A human ecological approach is crucial for adapting age-friendly city concepts to Latin America.
• Integrating macro and micro perspectives alongside meso-level interventions is necessary for effective implementation.
• The UNICEF Child-Friendly Cities Initiative offers valuable insights for a more inclusive framework.