AGEING IN CITIESAGEING IN CITIES

CHRIS PHILLIPSONCENTRE FOR SOCIAL GERONTOLOGYKEELE UNIVERSITY

AGEING IN CITIESAGEING IN CITIES

FACTORS DRIVING THE ‘AGE-FRIENDLY’ FACTORS DRIVING THE ‘AGE-FRIENDLY’ DEBATEDEBATE

CHARACTERISTICS OF ‘AGE-FRIENDLY’ CHARACTERISTICS OF ‘AGE-FRIENDLY’ CITIESCITIES

OPPORTUNITIES AND PRESSURES IN OPPORTUNITIES AND PRESSURES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTSURBAN ENVIRONMENTS

POLICY OPTIONSPOLICY OPTIONS

WHY AGE-FRIENDLY? (1)WHY AGE-FRIENDLY? (1)

DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGEDEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE 2030: 25 per cent of population 2030: 25 per cent of population

in urban areas 60 and overin urban areas 60 and over

URBAN CHANGEURBAN CHANGE 2030: 60 per cent of the world’s2030: 60 per cent of the world’s population living in urban areaspopulation living in urban areas

WHY AGE-FRIENDY? (2)

IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENT

AROUND 50 PER CENT OF OLDER AROUND 50 PER CENT OF OLDER PEOPLE HAVE SPENT 40 OR MORE PEOPLE HAVE SPENT 40 OR MORE YEARS IN SAME NEIGHBOURHOODYEARS IN SAME NEIGHBOURHOOD

TIME SPENT AT HOME -80 PER CENT TIME SPENT AT HOME -80 PER CENT AMONG THOSE 70 and overAMONG THOSE 70 and over11

‘‘THE HOME AND IMMEDIATE THE HOME AND IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT SETS THE TONE FOR DAILY ENVIRONMENT SETS THE TONE FOR DAILY LIFE’LIFE’22

WHY AGE-FRIENDLY? (3)WHY AGE-FRIENDLY? (3)

1999 UN Year of Older People: 1999 UN Year of Older People: ACTIVE AGEINGACTIVE AGEING33

2006 WHO GLOBAL AGE-FRIENDLY CITIES 2006 WHO GLOBAL AGE-FRIENDLY CITIES PROJECT: PROJECT:

Development of action points to make Development of action points to make cities ‘friendly for all ages’cities ‘friendly for all ages’44

2010 WHO launch Global Network of Age-2010 WHO launch Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities – 12 cities inc. Friendly Cities – 12 cities inc. Manchester, Brussells and New YorkManchester, Brussells and New York

WHY AGE-FRIENDLY? (4)WHY AGE-FRIENDLY? (4)

‘‘SUSTAINABLE CITIES’: SUSTAINABLE CITIES’: How can urban development be managed

to meet the needs of current and future generations?

‘‘HARMONIOUS CITIES’: HARMONIOUS CITIES’: How can we achieve social justice and

fairness in the city?

‘‘LIFETIME HOMES and LIFETIME HOMES and NEIGHBOURHOODS:NEIGHBOURHOODS:

How can we support ageing in place?

CHARACTERISTICS OF AGE-CHARACTERISTICS OF AGE-FRIENDLY CITIESFRIENDLY CITIES

RECOGNITION OF DIVERSITY AMONG OLDER PEOPLE

PROMOTE INCLUSION IN ALL AREAS OF COMMUNITY LIFE

RESPECTS DECISIONS AND LIFESTYLE CHOICE

ANTICIPATES AND RESPONDS FLEXIBLY TO AGE-RELATED NEEDS AND PREFERENCES

OPPORTUNITIESOPPORTUNITIES

CREATIVITY OF CITIES: ‘cities as places of culture and creativity, of conviviality and sedentary living’4.

ACCESS TO AMENITIES AND SERVICES: Research suggests higher levels social and cultural participation for those with access to facilities (corner shops, libraries and parks)5.

OPPORTUNITIES

IDENTIFICATION WITH NEIGHBOURHOODS: Strong attachment to localities with links to family and friends.

IMPORTANCE OF LOCALITY FOR FIRST AND LATER GENERATION MIGRANTS: Cultural, social and religious organisations

PRESSURES IN CITIES

ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES

SECURITY PRESSURES

AGE-RELATED PRESSURES

PRESSURESPRESSURES

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (1)ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (1): Problems with urban design and poor maintenance of streets have major consequences: surveys suggest around one in four of those 65 plus have experienced a fall due to damaged paving or street surfaces – one third of whom required medical treatment6.

PRESSURESPRESSURES

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (2)ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (2) - Research in Dublin suggests that - Research in Dublin suggests that

pedestrian crossing times at urban pedestrian crossing times at urban intersections represent major hazard intersections represent major hazard for frail older peoplefor frail older people77..

- In New York pedestrians aged 60 plus - In New York pedestrians aged 60 plus account for 47% of pedestrian fatalities account for 47% of pedestrian fatalities whilst representing only 17% of the whilst representing only 17% of the populationpopulation88..

PRESSURESPRESSURES

SECURITY ISSUESSECURITY ISSUES: - Fear of moving out of the home at

certain times- 33% to 50% of older people may feel unsafe moving around their neighbourhood at night.9

- Neighbourhoods with poor physical environments and limited access to services also increase feelings of insecurity and vulnerability10.

PRESSURES

AGE-RELATED ISSUESAGE-RELATED ISSUES: Urban design and planning ignoring

groups with problems such as 820,000 people in UK with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Vibrant and informal public space especially important for people with dementia11.

POLICY ISSUES

1. Global citiesGlobal cities but importance of local environmentlocal environment for determining quality of life.

2. Developing life course perspective on neighbourhoods – using views of older residents as reference point for understanding community change.

POLICY ISSUES

3. Link issues about ageing to debate about urban citizenship and rights to the benefits of city life.

4. Older people live in the city but not fully part of the city

5. Reconcile ‘Highly mobile’ with those ‘ageing in place’

POLICY ISSUES

6. Bring together older people with Urban Designers, Architects and Planners to assess:

accessibility of built environmentaccessibility of built environment location and accessibility of serviceslocation and accessibility of services development of secure public spacesdevelopment of secure public spaces inter-generational linksinter-generational links

SOME QUESTIONSSOME QUESTIONS

Cities are viewed as key drivers for economic success – ‘the urban renaissance’ – but can they integrate ageing populations as well?

Can we bring together urban managers and developers?

Can the resources of the city be used to improve quality of life in old age – only one in 20 older households may have the money to take advantage of what great cities can offer?12

WAYS FORWARD

Investigate new ways of securing Investigate new ways of securing participation of older people in participation of older people in regeneration and planning.regeneration and planning.

New studies of experiences of urban New studies of experiences of urban change.change.

Better understanding of Better understanding of opportunities as well as constraints opportunities as well as constraints of urban living.of urban living.

References

1. Horgas, A.L. et al.(1998) Daily Life in Very old Age. Gerontologist 38: 556-568

2. Newman, K (2006) Midlife and Beyond in the Inner City NY: New Press

3. World Health Organisation (2002) Active Ageing Geneva: WHO

4. WHO (2007) Global Age Friendly Cities: A Guide Geneva: WHO

REFERENCES

5. De Donder et al. (Forthcoming, 2010) Feelings of Unsafety in Later Life Brussells: UVB Press

6. Help the Aged (2008) Towards Common Ground: The Help the Aged Manifesto for Lifetime Neighbourhoods. London: Help the Aged

7. Romero-Ortuno, R. et al. (2009) ‘Do older residents have enough time to cross roads in Dublin’. Ageing and Ageing 39: 80-86

REFERENCES

8. Tri-State Transportation Campaign (2010) Older Pedestrians at Risk and How States Can Make it Safer to Walk. New York

9. Scharf et al. (2002) Growing Older in Socially Excluded Areas. London: Help the Aged

10. De Donder et al. (Forthcoming, 2010) Feelings of Unsafety in Later Life Brussells: UVB Press

REFERENCES

11. Mitchell, L. and Burton, E. (2006) ‘Neighbourhoods for Life: Designing Dementia-Friendly Outdoor Environments’. Quality in Ageing 7: 26-33

12. For a further discussion of these issues see Phillipson, C (2010) ‘Growing Old in the Century of the City’ In Dannefer, D and Phillipson, C Handbook of Social Gerontology Sage Books

Other links

For background information on the development of modern cities see: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/LSECities/home.aspx

For a project in the USA developing lifetime communities see:

http://www.atlantaregional.com/aging-resources/lifelong-communities

For an example of a ‘liveable street’ see: http://awesome.good.is/transparency/web/0904/livable-streets.ht

ml

For research on the impact of the environment on well-being see

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/healthatwarwick/research/devgroups/environments/