WHO's new guide on Age-friendly City indicators

Purpose: Ageing and urbanization are among the most transformative demographic dynamics of the 21st century. While cities continue to experience unprecedented growth, the proportion of older residents is similarly rising in... [ view full abstract ]

Purpose: Ageing and urbanization are among the most transformative demographic dynamics of the 21st century. While cities continue to experience unprecedented growth, the proportion of older residents is similarly rising in urban areas. One approach to creating an urban environment responsive to the needs of older residents is in the concept of age-friendly cities. Many communities around the world are engaged in efforts to become more age-friendly. To support these initiatives, the World Health Organization developed a new guide on using core indicators to assess the age-friendliness of cities. This presentation will be one of the first occasions to introduce and disseminate the newly published guide in a global academic forum.

Methods: The guide and the core indicators described within it were developed over a 3-year period involving desktop research, expert consultations and field testing of a global scope. The final set of core indicators measures physical accessibility and social inclusiveness of the environment as well as quality of life and equity. The guide recognizes the importance of the local context and is designed to encourage local adaptations and innovations, while also articulating a path toward global standardization.

Conclusion: This new technical guide provides an adaptable framework and core indicators for measuring how well urban environments support the health and wellbeing of older adults. It is recommended for all cities and communities seeking to measure and improve the physical and social environments for better quality of life and equity in response to, or in anticipation of, an ageing population.