The paper provides an introduction to the public discourse around the notion of smart healthy inclusive environments. First, the basic ideas are explained and related to citizen participation in the context of implementation of a "society... more
The paper provides an introduction to the public discourse around the notion of smart healthy inclusive environments. First, the basic ideas are explained and related to citizen participation in the context of implementation of a "society for all ages" concept disseminated by the United Nations. Next, the text discusses selected initiatives of the European Commission in the field of intergenerational programming and policies as well as features of the COST Action NET4Age-Friendly: Smart Healthy Age-Friendly Environments (SHAFE). The following sections are focused on studying and discussing examples of projects and methodologies that have been aimed at: empowering facilitators of smart healthy inclusive environments, empowering citizens to deal with health emergencies, and supporting older people's voices. The conclusion covers selected recommendations for entities of public policy on ageing (ageing policy) as well as potential directions for further research.
ÖZET Yaşlı Dostu Kentler Rehberi bağımsızlık, katılım ve sağlık temelinde Aktif Yaşlanma Çerçeve Metni üzerine inşa edilmiştir. Aktif yaşlanma, bağımsızlık, ka-tılım, bakım, kendini gerçekleştirme, haysiyet kavramları ile şekillenen BM... more
ÖZET Yaşlı Dostu Kentler Rehberi bağımsızlık, katılım ve sağlık temelinde Aktif Yaşlanma Çerçeve Metni üzerine inşa edilmiştir. Aktif yaşlanma, bağımsızlık, ka-tılım, bakım, kendini gerçekleştirme, haysiyet kavramları ile şekillenen BM Yaşlı İlkelerine dayanmaktadır. Amaç yaşlının insan haklarına ve onuruna yaraşır yaşam sürdürmesidir. Yaşlı Dostu Kentler için sosyal politikaların esas kaynağı da insan hakları, insan onuruna yaraşır yaşam koşulları, dolayısıyla "hak ve eşitlik ilkesi" üzerinden temellendirilmelidir. Bu çalışmada yaşlı dostu kentler için yapılacak düzenleme ve çalışmalar hiçbir zaman yerel yönetimlerin yaşlılara yardım/iyiliği değil, insan olarak eşitliği ve toplumun bütünleşmesini sağlayıcı olmasının önemi ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır.
The World Health Organization (WHO) strives to assist and inspire cities to become more 'age-friendly' through the Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide. An age-friendly city offers a supportive environment that enables residents to grow older... more
The World Health Organization (WHO) strives to assist and inspire cities to become more 'age-friendly' through the Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide. An age-friendly city offers a supportive environment that enables residents to grow older actively within their families, neighbourhoods and civil society, and offers extensive opportunities for their participation in the community. In the attempts to make cities age-friendly, ageism may interact with these developments. The goal of this study was to investigate the extent to which features of age-friendly cities, both facilitators and hindrances, are visible in the city scape of the Dutch municipalities of The Hague and Zoetermeer and whether or not ageism is manifested explicitly or implicitly. A qualitative photoproduction study based on the Checklist of Essential Features of Age-Friendly Cities was conducted in five neighbourhoods. Both municipalities have a large number of visual age-friendly features, which are manifested in five domains of the WHO model, namely Communication and information; Housing; Transportation; Community support and health services; and Outdoor spaces and buildings. Age-stereotypes, both positive and negative, can be observed in the domain of Communication and information, especially in the depiction of third agers as winners. At the same time, older people and age-friendly features are very visible in the cityscapes of both municipalities , and this is a positive expression of the changing demographics.
The World Health Organization (WHO) strives to assist and inspire cities to become more "age-friendly", and the fundamentals are included in the Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide. An age-friendly city enables residents to grow older... more
The World Health Organization (WHO) strives to assist and inspire cities to become more "age-friendly", and the fundamentals are included in the Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide. An age-friendly city enables residents to grow older actively within their families, neighbourhoods and civil society, and offers extensive opportunities for the participation of older people in the community. Over the decades, technology has become essential for contemporary and future societies, and even more imperative as the decades move on, given we are nearly in our third decade of the twenty-first century. Yet, technology is not explicitly considered in the 8-domain model by the WHO, which describes an age-friendly city. This paper discusses the gaps in the WHO's age-friendly cities model in the field of technology and provides insights and recommendations for expansion of the model for application in the context of countries with a high human development index that wish to be fully age-friendly. This work is distinctive because of the proposed new age-friendly framework, and the work presented in this paper contributes to the fields of gerontology, geography urban and development, computer science, and gerontechnology.
The key concepts availability and accessibility have been taken into consideration in urban studies as well as the health and social aspects of ageing. These terms are in close relation with the "active ageing", "age-friendly city" and... more
The key concepts availability and accessibility have been taken into consideration in urban studies as well as the health and social aspects of ageing. These terms are in close relation with the "active ageing", "age-friendly city" and "liveable city" concepts. These concepts were created by the UN, the World Health Organization, and other institutions aiming to increase the quality of life of older individuals and to regulate their living environments in an optimal way for an active and independent life. Improving accessibility and availability of facilities for older people in urban areas is crucial to ensure that older people are able to meet their own needs as well as prevent their exclusion from society. The planning of cities that prevents the social exclusion of older people and provides an independent way of living is the main objective of the concept of liveable cities. From this point of view, this study aims to evaluate the existing opportunities in an urban area in the context of liveability. Out of the multi-criteria decision-making models, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and geographic information systems (GIS) were therefore used in this research. Three main districts of Kepez, with the highest population of older individuals, have been chosen. According to the findings of the study, the weight of health services has the highest score compared to other criteria. The liveability scores and grading of the districts were obtained using the AHP matrix. In the study, it was concluded that a multi-criteria analysis could be carried out with quantitative data. The real land use and the close environment of the research area should also be considered in the evaluation process.
Este artículo presenta el marco teórico sobre algunos de los problemas de las ciudades del siglo XXI como son el cambio climático, la urbanización y el envejecimiento de la población, con el fin de establecer los antecedentes que guían la... more
Este artículo presenta el marco teórico sobre algunos de los problemas de las ciudades del siglo XXI como son el cambio climático, la urbanización y el envejecimiento de la población, con el fin de establecer los antecedentes que guían la investigación del confort térmico y acústico de las personas mayores en espacios públicos de la ciudad. Para ello, se analizan las políticas internacionales, los conceptos de urbanismo y todas sus vertientes contemporáneas que han surgido como producto de la adaptación de las ciudades a los fenómenos demográficos y climáticos, así como su influencia en la salud de la población. Adicionalmente se conceptualiza el fenómeno del envejecimiento de la población, la realidad mundial, regional y local de España en cuanto a este proceso demográfico y las políticas públicas que se han planteado como medida de adaptación en las ciudades. Finalmente, se explican los conceptos sobre confort térmico y acústico, identificando el estado de la cuestión y las principales variables que influyen, mediante un resumen de la revisión bibliográfica sistemática, sobre la percepción de confort térmico y acústico de adultos mayores y sus diferencias con otros grupos de edad.
Neighborhoods within age-friendly cities and communities are an important factor in shaping the everyday lives of older adults. Yet, less is known about how neighborhoods experiencing change influence the ability to age in place. One type... more
Neighborhoods within age-friendly cities and communities are an important factor in shaping the everyday lives of older adults. Yet, less is known about how neighborhoods experiencing change influence the ability to age in place. One type of rapid neighborhood change occurring across major cities nationally and globally is gentrification, a process whereby the culture of an existing neighborhood changes through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. Few studies have considered the impact of gentrification on older adults, who are among the most vulnerable to economic and social pressures that often accompany gentrification. The current study explores one consequence of gentrification, indirect displacement. While gentrification-induced displacement can refer to the physical (e.g., direct) displacement of residents moving out of a neighborhood due to rising housing costs, it also references the replacement of the unique character and social identity of a neighborhood (e.g., indirect displacement). We examine perceptions of the latter, characterized by perceived cultural shifts and housing concerns among adults aging in place in a gentrifying neighborhood in New York City. The implications of indirect displacement for displacement risk and aging precarity are discussed as potential threats to aging in place in age-friendly cities.
The work reflects on the age-friendly cities to the challenges of climate change. The methodology is based on a review of international literature from the perspective of the environmental gerontology. The results indicate the importance... more
The work reflects on the age-friendly cities to the challenges of climate change. The methodology is based on a review of international literature from the perspective of the environmental gerontology. The results indicate the importance of promoting friendly cities by improving the understanding of the physical and social environment of active aging. Thus, it discusses the relative success of some friendly cities, and the need to meet the challenges of climate change. Also, the development of public policies to foster a gerontological planning in the context of climate change. El trabajo reflexiona sobre las ciudades amigables con las personas mayores ante el reto del cambio climático. La metodología se ha basado en la revisión de la literatura internacional desde el enfoque de la gerontología ambiental. Los resultados indican la importancia de favorecer ciudades amigables a través de mejorar la comprensión del ambiente físico-social del envejecimiento activo. Así, se discute sobre el éxito relativo de algunas ciudades amigables y la necesidad de enfrentar los desafíos del cambio climático. Asimismo, se defiende el desarrollo de políticas públicas encaminadas a favorecer un urbanismo gerontológico en un contexto de cambio climático.
Due to the rapid transition of growing ageing populations around the world, there is an urgency to change in attitudes, policies and practices at all levels of governance to fulfil the potential of ageing in the 21st century. The World... more
Due to the rapid transition of growing ageing populations around the world, there is an urgency to change in attitudes, policies and practices at all levels of governance to fulfil the potential of ageing in the 21st century. The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed an age-friendly checklist as a guideline for urban cities. However, the WHO's age-friendly indicators are generalized and overarching, and need modification by considering local needs. Therefore, localizing age-friendly indicators based on local priority is the first step in implementing a global age-friendly city agenda. This study aims to identify the priority indicators for age-friendly development at local government level in South Australia. The study considers the City of Unley, a local government organization in South Australia, as a case study. The study conducts a community perception survey to identify the important indicators, followed by a focus group consultation to identify the priority indicators based on local settings. The study identifies 25 indicators as priority indicators for the City of Unley that need to be considered for the development of age-friendly Unley. In addition, the study proposes several demonstration project ideas for local government to initiate participatory age-friendly projects for the local community. The findings of the study are important in assisting local government to develop age-friendly strategies by considering their local priority and achieving the global sustainability agenda.
ABST RACT | The research analyzes the attributes of the constructed surroundings and the functions of the social environment that determine the attractiveness of the traditional public marketplace and foster active aging in... more
ABST RACT | The research analyzes the attributes of the constructed surroundings and the functions of the social environment that determine the attractiveness of the traditional public marketplace and foster active aging in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The methodology consisted of conducting a survey of older adults and collecting data from environmental sensors at the public marketplace of Terán. The results showed that the attractiveness of the traditional marketplace in relation to optimal interaction with the needs of the elderly is determined by the functionality of the attributes of the constructed material surroundings-legibility-that promotes daily activities and the usability of the functions of the social environment-familiarity, place attachment and versatility-that facilitates social integration and leisure. It discusses the possible benefits of the attractive public marketplace in stimulating active and healthy aging, as well as the general quality of life in old age.
Lopes, A., Pinto, T., & Lemos, R. (2017). Age-friendly cities and the who checklist: Lessons from a portuguese survey. In International perspectives on age-friendly cities (pp. 276-300). Routledge.
It is estimated that 70 per cent of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050, up from 50 per cent in 2013. The good news is that cities - their culture, spaces and buildings - are evolving by creative design and innovation:... more
It is estimated that 70 per cent of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050, up from 50 per cent in 2013. The good news is that cities - their culture, spaces and buildings - are evolving by creative design and innovation: working hard not just to meet the practical needs of their inhabitants but to deliver powerful physical and emotional health benefits.
This paper explores the intersection of the World Health Organization's (WHO) concepts of age-friendly communities and The Blue Zones ® checklists and how the potential of integrating the two frameworks for the development of a... more
This paper explores the intersection of the World Health Organization's (WHO) concepts of age-friendly communities and The Blue Zones ® checklists and how the potential of integrating the two frameworks for the development of a contemporary framework can address the current gaps in the literature as well as consider the inclusion of technology and environmental press. The commentary presented here sets out initial thoughts and explorations that have the potential to impact societies on a global scale and provides recommendations for a roadmap to consider new ways to think about the impact of health and wellbeing of older adults and their families. Additionally, this paper highlights both the strengths and the weaknesses of the aforementioned checklists and frameworks by examining the literature including the WHO age-friendly framework, the smart age-friendly ecosystem (SAfE) framework and the Blue Zones ® checklists. We argue that gaps exist in the current literature and take a critical approach as a way to be inclusive of technology and the environments in which older adults live. This commentary contributes to the fields of gerontology, gerontechnology, anthropology, and geography, because we are proposing a roadmap which sets out the need for future work which requires multi-and interdisciplinary research to be conducted for the respective checklists to evolve.
The population of older people is increasing worldwide, and this demographic change pose challenges for cities and communities around the world. The overall wellbeing of elderly population can be achieved not only by improving the... more
The population of older people is increasing worldwide, and this demographic change pose challenges for cities and communities around the world. The overall wellbeing of elderly population can be achieved not only by improving the healthcare facilities but also by proper planning of their housing requirements to support them to age in place as well. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a framework to enable interventions to improve the age-friendliness of a city. However, there is limited knowledge of identifying the determinants of age-friendly housing. This paper discusses the opinion of stakeholders on how age-friendly housing can be created for the older population in Adelaide, South Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the experts in the field of ageing and housing. The interviews were analysed using qualitative approaches resulting in preferable recommendations for age-friendly housing. The outcome of the interviews indicates that adaptability, access to services and housing options are the most significant factors followed by design, affordability and sense of community in the housing sector for the wellbeing of the older population. The rest of the factors are safety, sharing spaces, maintenance, privacy, increase in housing infrastructure and sense of stability and security of housing. Among them, sharing spaces, increase in housing infrastructure and sense of stability and security of housing have not been mentioned by WHO in their guidelines for age-friendly cities.
The “Give Us Space!” networking session at the WUF9 was held and organized by the University of Auckland in relationship with other partner universities and organizations.This Event fostered a discussion on public space as a common good,... more
The “Give Us Space!” networking session at the WUF9 was held and organized by the University of Auckland in relationship with other partner universities and organizations.This Event fostered a discussion on public space as a common good, by means of sharing and critically evaluating emerging problems in the public realm in different geographical contexts with regards to spatial conception, representation, and everyday life experiences. Focusing on socio-spatial relationality it rethought and raised awareness of its importance to contribute to a successful implementation of the New Urban Agenda, promoting well-being in cities and creating safe, inclusive, accessible, public spaces for all. Specifically, it addressed a crucial kind of public realm: the semi-private space. This space, which often presents the highest levels of relational urban life, is characterized by complex mechanisms of production and control that, while strongly enhancing safety and comfort, pose severe limits to the exercise of the ‘right to the city.’ The audience was asked to contribute to the issue of privatisation of public space by providing insights and reflections in small groups. A collective question was posited: what is the most relevant emerging critical problem in private use of public space and what are the ways of addressing these issues? Each group had to summarize relevant outcomes from their discussions which were then shared at the end of the session.
The paper deals with problems of creating age friendly cities. There are lots of reasons why the problem has to be taken. The author presented demographic and organizational reasons for undertaking activities toward adapting cities for... more
The paper deals with problems of creating age friendly cities. There are lots of reasons why the problem has to be taken. The author presented demographic and organizational reasons for undertaking activities toward adapting cities for elderly people living conditions. In the paper there are presented activities which have to be taken to guarantee mobility of old people.
Cet article traite de la reconnaissance des aînés par le biais d’une présentation réflexive sur le programme Villes amies des aînés de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS). On y rappelle d’abord la problématique et le cadre... more
Cet article traite de la reconnaissance des aînés par le biais d’une présentation réflexive sur le programme Villes amies des aînés de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS). On y rappelle d’abord la problématique et le cadre conceptuel du programme, puis on souligne la pertinence du cadre théorique se référant au concept de reconnaissance sociale présent dans l’œuvre de Axel Honneth
