Age and the Environment: The Global Movement Towards Age-Friendly Cities and Communities

Abstract

Populations around the world are rapidly ageing, with some of the fastest change occurring in less-developed countries. One of the key determinants of the capabilities of older people, and whether they can achieve the things that are meaningful to them, is the environment in which they live. There is growing interest globally on how to foster “age-friendly” environments, and the World Health Organization's Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities now includes over 250 member cities with responsibility for around 100 million people. This paper outlines the background to the Network and describes some innovative strategies being adopted by members in different parts of the world.

Keywords::

• ageing
• elderly
• environment
• cities

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John R. Beard

John R. Beard., MBBS, Ph.D., is Director of the Department of Ageing and Life Course with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, and Honorary Professor with the University of Sydney. He is the immediate past chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Ageing Society. His recent publications include the following:John R. Beard, David E. Bloom. Towards a Comprehensive Public Health Response to Population Ageing. The Lancet. Published Online November 6, 2014 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ S0140-6736(14)61461-6Aboderin I, Beard J. Older People's Health and Socioeconomic Development in sub-Saharan Africa. The Lancet. Published Online November 6, 2014 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61602-0Xing Lin Feng, Mingfan Pang, John Beard. Health system strengthening and hypertension awareness, treatment and control: data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2014;92:29–41 | doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.13.124495Peter Lloyd-Sherlock, John Beard, Nadia Minicuci, Shah Ebrahim and Somnath Chatterji. Hypertension among older adults in low and middle income countries: prevalence, awareness and control. International Journal of Epidemiology 2014;1–13 doi:10.1093/ije/dyt215.Address: Department of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. [email: [email protected]]

Basant Montawi

Basant Montawi, MBBS, is the CEO of Aspire for development in Cairo, Egypt. She has previously worked with the Ageing and Life course department with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Basant serves as a facilitator for the WHO Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC).Address: Department of Ageing and Life Course, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. [email: [email protected]]