Origins and Purpose of the Age Friendly Concept
The age friendly concept was initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006, in response to the global demographic shift toward an aging population. The core idea is that a person's environment—from their physical surroundings to social structures—is a key determinant of how they age. By creating environments that are accessible, supportive, and inclusive, communities can help older people maintain their health, independence, and dignity as they get older. This concept aims to build better environments for everyone, not just older adults.
The WHO's Eight Domains of Age-Friendliness
The age friendly framework includes eight interconnected domains to guide communities in becoming more accommodating for older adults. These domains cover aspects like outdoor spaces, transportation, housing, and social participation. For a detailed list of these domains, please refer to {Link: Fiveable fiveable.me} and {Link: retirementlivingsourcebook.com https://www.retirementlivingsourcebook.com/articles/age-friendly-communities-building-livable-spaces-for-all-ages}.
The Far-Reaching Benefits of an Age Friendly Community
Embracing the age friendly concept benefits all residents, improving quality of life across age groups. For example, enhanced public transportation benefits seniors, young families, and people with disabilities. Universal design features like curb cuts improve navigation for everyone.
Economic Advantages
An age friendly approach offers significant economic benefits by creating a welcoming environment that attracts and retains residents and supports healthy aging. Older adults are valuable members of the workforce and consumer market, and age friendly environments help utilize these resources. Supporting aging in place can reduce the need for costly institutional care and benefit local businesses.
The Role of Technology and Innovation
Technology can enhance age-friendliness through tools like smart home devices, remote health monitoring, and digital communication platforms. It is vital that older adults contribute to the development and implementation of these technologies to ensure they are accessible and meet their needs.
Table: Contrasting an Age-Friendly Community with a Traditional One
| Feature | Traditional Community | Age-Friendly Community |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | Limited options, often requiring relocation for senior-specific needs. | Diverse, affordable housing options with universal design features that allow aging in place. |
| Transportation | Car-dependent, with infrequent or inaccessible public transit. | Accessible, affordable, and reliable public transportation options for all abilities. |
| Public Spaces | Unsafe sidewalks, uneven pavement, and lack of benches or accessible entrances. | Well-lit, well-maintained sidewalks, accessible buildings, and sufficient seating in public spaces. |
| Social Life | Social activities are often isolated by age, with limited intergenerational interaction. | Community events and programs encourage social participation across all generations. |
| Information | Vital information is available primarily through a single channel, like the internet. | Information is communicated through various accessible channels, such as newsletters, public boards, and online platforms. |
How to Build a More Age-Friendly Community
Building an age friendly community requires collaboration among residents, government, businesses, and non-profits. The process typically involves assessing community needs from the perspective of older adults, developing a strategic action plan, and implementing pilot programs.
Crucially, older adults must be actively involved throughout the process. Their insights are essential for creating effective initiatives, such as designing transportation routes or suggesting accessibility improvements. The Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative provides an example of this concept in practice, focusing on the "4Ms" of age-friendly care: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility.
Conclusion: A Vision for the Future
The age friendly concept is a sustainable approach to planning for an aging population. By making environments inclusive and accessible for older people, communities become stronger and more vibrant for everyone. It recognizes older adults as valuable resources whose contributions enrich society. While implementation requires effort and investment, the improvements in quality of life, health, and economic vitality are significant.
Learn more about creating livable cities from resources like the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities {Link: AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/network-age-friendly-communities/}.
