Evaluating Age-Friendly Community Environments: Model Development and Application in Guangzhou, China.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Gerontology
• Urban Planning
• Sociology

Background:

• China faces rapid urbanization and population aging, creating a mismatch between old urban neighborhoods and older adults' quality of life aspirations.
• Developing scientific evaluation systems for age-friendly community environments is crucial for both theoretical value and practical significance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct and empirically validate an evaluation model for age-friendly community environments in high-density metropolises.
• To identify key factors influencing older adults' satisfaction with their community environment.

Main Methods:

• Case study of Guangzhou, a high-density metropolis.
• Development of an evaluation model with four dimensions and 26 indicators.
• Questionnaire surveys and statistical analysis in Huaqiao Garden Community.

Main Results:

• The community road system is the most critical predictor of overall satisfaction for older adults (β = 0.294).
• Significant heterogeneity exists in environmental needs among different elderly groups, invalidating one-size-fits-all approaches.
• A pronounced expectation-perception gap was found, especially concerning health and safety facilities.

Conclusions:

• An accessible, safe, and continuous circulation environment is fundamental for seniors' community autonomy.
• Future age-friendly community retrofitting should prioritize a "road-rights-first" principle.
• Precise and differentiated renewal strategies are needed to optimize resource allocation and enhance aging-support capacity.