Preparing for an ageing society

Is the built environment fit for the future?

Guy Robertson

Structure

• People – numbers and characteristics

• Age friendly approach

• Process – philosophy

• Issues – two particular social concerns

Numbers

Ageing – a success story

• Each year, about 650,000 people turn 65

• There are now more people in the UK aged 60+ than there are under 18

• There are over 12 million people of state pension age - almost 1 in 5 of

the UK’s total population

• The „oldest old‟ – aged 85+ - is growing rapidly:

– Over 1.4m now – doubled in last 20 years

– The numbers of centenarians as nearly quadrupled since 1981, from 2,600 to

almost 12,000 in 2009.

We’ve already adapted to past changes

Characteristics

Older

person?

Age 69

Contribution of Older People

• net contribution of £40bn to economy in 2010

• By 2030, contribution projected to rise to £77bn

• Value of older people‟s volunteering £10bn

• Donations to family and charities £10bn

• Provision of social care by older people is £34bn

• Spending power – “grey pound” overall value estimated at £76bn

“Gold age pensioners: valuing the socio-economic contribution of older people”, WRVS, 2011

60 year olds now have the life of

40 year olds from a century ago.

Work

• 11.6% of men and 6.2% of women aged 65+ are employed

– 862,000 people

– 3% of population aged 16+

• For people aged 50-64yrs, 71% of men and 59% of women are employed

Living situation

Many live alone, especially women:

• aged 65-74

– 32% of women,

– 22% of men, live alone

• aged 75+

– rises to 60% of women

– 36% of men

• Social isolation & depression an increasing risk.

Health

• 40% of all people over 65 have a long term

limiting illness

»Ill health and death rates

increase in the older

population in cold weather

Wealth

• Over two thirds (68%) of householders aged 65yrs+ own homes

outright without a mortgage – worth nearly £1tr !

• In the UK average gross pensioner incomes increased by 50

per cent in real terms between 1996/97 and 2009/10 - ahead of

the growth in average earnings

• Average gross income of pensioner couples = £607pw (2009)

But

• 16% pensioners fall below poverty line (two-thirds of these are

women)

Where do older people live ?

• 90% of older people live in ‘mainstream housing.

• 97% of over 65s were satisfied with their accommodation;

59% were ‘very satisfied’ (these figures are the highest for

any age group)

but

35% of the homes occupied by older people fail the decent

homes standard (approximately 2.7 million households)

Over 750,000 need specially adapted accommodation

because of a medical condition or disability and 145,000 of

them report living in homes that do not meet their needs

It is estimated that up to 42,000 older people are unofficially

homeless in England and Wales

Age friendly communities

Responding to ageing society

Making cities and communities age friendly is

one of the most effective policy approaches for

responding to demographic ageing

World Health Organisation

Specific issues for older people

• Immediate home environment becomes more

important to older people due to increased

physical difficulties which limit their spatial

range

• Satisfaction with neighbourhood has a

significant predictive effect on quality of life

Age Friendly Communities

– Places

– Better meeting places and green spaces

– Public seating

– Better-quality pavements

– Safe, well-lit streets

– People

– Local social activities

– Better relationships between different age groups (i.e. intergenerational initiatives)

– Being able to have a say in local decisions

– Volunteers and neighbours helping people out

– Services

– Better local buses and parking

– Accessible and clean public toilets

– Local shops and services within easy reach

– Somewhere to turn for advice

Adapted from Age UK

What are AFC’s trying to achieve?

• An age friendly community promotes active

ageing through optimising opportunities for:-

– Health

– Participation

– Security

WHO

Benefits of good design

“A neighbourhood environment that makes it easy

and enjoyable to go outdoors was a significant factor

in whether participants attained recommended levels

of physical activity through walking and was a

significant predictor of their health in general.”

IDGO

Age friendly?

Threat

• “While cities can be disabling or

threatening at any age… at 75 or 85

people may feel an even greater sense

of being trapped or disadvantaged by

urban decay and this may limit their

ability to maintain a sense of self

identity.” T Scharf, 2005

Satisfaction with neighbourhood

• 94% of over 65s were satisfied with the area in which they

lived (54% were ‘very satisfied) - higher than any other age

group

• 78% of people over 65 said they were satisfied with feeling

they were part of a community (30% were ‘very satisfied‟) -

higher than any other age group.

• Only about 30% of older people feel that they can affect

decisions in their local area

Checklist for age friendly spaces and

buildings

• Environment – a clean place with enforced regulations limiting noise levels and unpleasant or harmful odours in public places.

• Buildings – well signed outside and inside with accessible lifts, ramps, railings and non-slip floors

• Green spaces and walkways – well-maintained and safe green spaces with shelter, toilet facilities and seating. Pedestrian walkways should be smooth and free from obstructions and have public toilets close by.

• Outdoor seating – available in a variety of places including parks, transport stops and public spaces, and evenly spaced out.

• Pavements – well-maintained and smooth, level and non-slip, and wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and including low kerbs. They should also be clear of obstructions including dog mess, trees and parked cars.

• Roads – well-designed with adequate non-slip pedestrian crossings with crossing lights that allow enough time for older people to cross.

Adapted from WHO Age Friendly Cities

Woonzorgonzones - components • Higher than average prevalence of older residents

• a high percentage of homes that are accessible to wheelchair

users;

• a barrier free, safe and socially safe environment;

• shops and services within walking distance;

• comprehensive delivery of services at home;

• centres for care and support, with 24/7 service within walking

distance (200 to 300 meters);

• extensive use of telecare and telehealth technologies;

• recreational and cultural activities, day care, physiotherapy

and gymnasium, laundry facilities, etc.

Woonzorgonzones - philosophy

• Idea of „integrated or inclusive neighbourhood‟

• For the whole population

• “Ordinary for special and special for ordinary”

• “Housing goes before welfare and welfare before

care”

• Higher access and service spec, but doesn‟t look

special

• Partnership between housing, care, health and local

people

• Guiding principle rather than a blueprint

Asset based approach

From deficit to asset approach

Deficit approach Asset approach

Starts with deficiencies and needs Starts with assets in the community

Responds to problems Identifies opportunities and strengths

Provides services to users Invests in people as citizens

Emphasises role of agencies Emphasises the role of civil society

Focuses on individuals Focuses on communities and neighbourhoods

Sees people as clients and service

users

Sees people as citizens and co-producers as

something to offer

Treats people as passive and ‘done

to’

Helps people to take control of their lives

‘Fixes people’ Supports people to develop their potential

Adapted from “A glass half full…”, IDEA, 2010

Involving older people

• 52% of older people agree that those who plan

services do not pay enough attention to the

needs of older people

We have the voice, do you have

the ears? Newcastle Elders Council

Older people doing it for themselves!

Supermarket audit

Intergenerational interaction

Diversity and life course

Similar

people

cannot bring

a city into

existence Plato

Segregation

Segregation is the separation of humans into groups in daily life.

– Only 15% of population aged 80+ has weekly contact with

any non-family member younger than 65

– 50% of younger adults report not having a single friend over 70

– Lack of intergenerational ties can evolve into an experience of being pushed out or left behind

• Social spaces in the UK tend to be

generationally specific, so people don't do

things together.

• Planned segregated spaces – playgrounds,

schools, care homes

Centres for all ages

Centres for all ages – bringing younger and

older people together on one site – makes

sense both socially and economically.

Shared sites

First ever purpose built

intergenerational centre

Accacia

Intergenerational

Centre, L.B. Merton

Dementia

Dementia Friendly Communities

A dementia-friendly community is described by

people with dementia as one that enables them to:

– find their way around and be safe,

– access the local facilities that they are used to (such as

banks, shops, cafes, cinemas and post offices)

– …..and maintain their social networks so they feel they

belong in the community.

Issues for people with dementia

People with dementia:- • Continue to go out alone (mild to moderate dementia)

• Tend to be restricted to immediate neighbourhood within

walking distance

• Access to outdoors is important for sense of independence

and self respect

• Cannot always interpret the cues that signal use of buildings,

location of entrances, or expected behaviour

• Tend to use landmarks and other visual cues rather than

maps or written directions

Dementia friendly design Older people with dementia tend to prefer: -

• mixed-use, compact local neighbourhoods

• short, gently winding streets with wide pavements and good visual access

• varied urban form and architectural features

• quiet, pedestrianised streets and welcoming open spaces

• places, spaces and buildings whose functions and entrances are obvious

• simple, explicit signs with large, dark, unambiguous graphics on a light

background

• historic, civic or distinctive landmarks and practical or aesthetic

environmental features

• smooth, plain, non-slip, non-reflective paving

• easy to use street furniture in styles familiar to older people.

What can councils do

• Review the built environment – rolling programme of consultations

• Involve people with dementia in planning of new developments or redesign

Conclusion

• It‟s all about people

– How we see them

– How we involve them

– How the built environment supports or hinders

• Most of it is about mainstream rather than specialist

Get it right for older people and you get it right

for most people