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The trajectory of aging is profoundly impacted by the physical and social environmental contexts in which we live. While "top–down" policy activities can have potentially wide impacts on such contexts, they often take time, resources, and political will, and therefore can be less accessible to underserved communities. This article describes a "bottom–up", resident-engaged method to advance local environmental and policy change, called Our Voice, that can complement policy-level strategies for improving the health, function, and well-being of older adults. Using the World Health Organization's age-friendly cities global strategy, we describe the Our Voice citizen science program of research that has specifically targeted older adults as environmental change agents to improve their own health and well-being as well as that of their communities. Results from 14 Our Voice studies that have occurred across five continents demonstrate that older adults can learn to use mobile technology to systematically capture and collectively analyze their own data. They can then successfully build consensus around high-priority issues that can be realistically changed and work effectively with local stakeholders to enact meaningful environmental and policy changes that can help to promote healthy aging. The article ends with recommended next steps for growing the resident-engaged citizen science field to advance the health and welfare of all older adults.

The trajectory of aging is profoundly impacted by the physical and social environmental contexts in which we live. While "top–down" policy activities can have potentially wide impacts on such contexts, they often take time, resources, and political will, and therefore can be less accessible to underserved communities. This article describes a "bottom–up", resident-engaged method to advance local environmental and policy change, called Our Voice, that can complement policy-level strategies for improving the health, function, and well-being of older adults. Using the World Health Organization's age-friendly cities global strategy, we describe the Our Voice citizen science program of research that has specifically targeted older adults as environmental change agents to improve their own health and well-being as well as that of their communities. Results from 14 Our Voice studies that have occurred across five continents demonstrate that older adults can learn to use mobile technology to systematically capture and collectively analyze their own data. They can then successfully build consensus around high-priority issues that can be realistically changed and work effectively with local stakeholders to enact meaningful environmental and policy changes that can help to promote healthy aging. The article ends with recommended next steps for growing the resident-engaged citizen science field to advance the health and welfare of all older adults.

The trajectory of aging is profoundly impacted by the physical and social environmental contexts in which we live. While "top–down" policy activities can have potentially wide impacts on such contexts, they often take time, resources, and political will, and therefore can be less accessible to underserved communities. This article describes a "bottom–up", resident-engaged method to advance local environmental and policy change, called Our Voice, that can complement policy-level strategies for improving the health, function, and well-being of older adults. Using the World Health Organization's age-friendly cities global strategy, we describe the Our Voice citizen science program of research that has specifically targeted older adults as environmental change agents to improve their own health and well-being as well as that of their communities. Results from 14 Our Voice studies that have occurred across five continents demonstrate that older adults can learn to use mobile technology to systematically capture and collectively analyze their own data. They can then successfully build consensus around high-priority issues that can be realistically changed and work effectively with local stakeholders to enact meaningful environmental and policy changes that can help to promote healthy aging. The article ends with recommended next steps for growing the resident-engaged citizen science field to advance the health and welfare of all older adults.

Promoting age-friendly environment is one of the appropriate approaches to support quality of life toward ageing populations. However, the information regarding age-friendly environments in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three countries is still limited. This study aimed to survey the perceived age-friendly environments among ASEAN Plus Three older populations. The study employed cross-sectional quantitative research using multistage cluster sampling to select a sample of older adults in the capital cities of Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. The final sample was composed of 2171 older adults aged 55 years and over, including 140 Japanese, 510 Thai, 537 Malaysian, 487 Myanmarese, and 497 Vietnamese older adults. Data collection was conducted using a quantitative questionnaire with 20 items of perceived age-friendly environments with the rating scale based on the World Health Organization (WHO) standard. The score from the 20 items were analyzed and examined high-risk groups of "bad perception level" age-friendly environments using ordinal logistic regression. The research indicated the five highest inadequacies of age-friendly environments including: (1) participating in an emergency-response training session or drill which addressed the needs of older residents; (2) enrolling in any form of education or training, either formal or non-formal in any subject; (3) having opportunities for paid employment; (4) involvement in decision making about important political, economic and social issues in the community; and (5) having personal care or assistance needs met in the older adult's home setting by government/private care services. Information regarding the inadequacy of age-friendliness by region was evidenced to guide policy makers in providing the right interventions towards older adults' needs.

A number of experiences have demonstrated how digital solutions are effective in improving quality of life (QoL) and health outcomes for older adults. Smart Health Age-Friendly Environments (SHAFE) is a new concept introduced in Europe since 2017 that combines the concept of Age-Friendly Environments with Information Technologies, supported by health and community care to improve the health and disease management of older adults and during the life-course. This chapter aims to provide an initial overview of the experiences available not only in Europe, based on the research work of the participants of the International Interdisciplinary Network on Health and Well-being in an Age-Friendly Digital World (NET4Age-Friendly), which could be of interest to preventive, health and social authorities. The chapter reports good practices, pain points, and bottlenecks that may require a collaborative, interdisciplinary research approach to facilitate the transformations towards smart, sustainable, health and age-friendly cities and communities.

Developing environments responsive to the aspirations and needs of older people has become a major concern for social and public policy. This article aims to provide a critical perspective on what has been termed 'age-friendly cities' by shifting the focus from questions such as 'What is an ideal city for older people?' to the question of 'How age-friendly are cities?' This approach, it is argued, might be more suited to deal with the complexities of cities as sites of interlocking and conflicting commercial, social, and political interests. This theme is developed by examining: first, the main factors driving the age-friendly debate; second, constraints and opportunities for older people living in urban environments; third, options for a critical social policy; and, fourth, examples of involving older people in the development of age-friendly environments. The article concludes with a brief summary of current tensions and contradictions in the age-friendly debate. © The Author(s) 2012.

Introduction (Elisa Pozo Menéndez) -- Part 1. The post-pandemic city for healthy ageing and wellbeing -- Chapter 1. Urban planning and health equity. Integrating global and European perspectives in local (Ângela Freitas) -- Chapter 2. Social innovation and adaptability for ageing in place in cities: a comparison between France and Japan (Camille Picard) -- Chapter 3. Silver cities: attractive cities for elderly (Montserrat Calvo) -- Chapter 4. Quality of life, living arrangements and care support for the older population (Carmen Rodriguez-Blazquez) -- Chapter 5. Active Ageing and Age-Friendly Communities: constructing an image of old age and ageing (Gloria Fernández-Mayoralas) -- Chapter 6. Comprehensive perspective of care design for the accompaniment of the person during the life journey (Álvaro García Soler) -- Chapter 7. Resilient cities and built environment. Urban design, citizens and health. Learning from COVID-19 experiences (Miguel Padeiro) -- Part 2. An inclusive environment: alternatives and challenges for ageing in place in North and South European Cities -- Chapter 8. Framework for inclusive residential projects for all: further research lines (Rose Gilroy) -- Chapter 9. Housing for an active ageing. Learning and outcomes from the Danish paradigm and the application to the Spanish context. Lugaritz Lifetime Homes in Donostia - San Sebastián (Heitor García Lantarón) -- Chapter 10. Development and Management of Cohousing Initiatives for a Friendly Ageing in Spain (Fermina Rojo-Pérez) -- Chapter 11. An evidence-based approach to optimize age-care facility design for People with Dementia (Neveen Hamza) -- Chapter 12. Thermal comfort for older population in Spain. Diagnosis and strategies for a climate change scenario (Emilia Román López) -- Chapter 13. Use of public spaces by older adults. Comparison among Madrid and Newcastle Upon Tyne (María Teresa Baquero Larriva) -- Chapter 14. Greenery urban design for good mental health. Analysis of a vulnerable district of Madrid (Elisa Pozo Menéndez) -- Chapter 15. Dementia-friendly communities and challenges from built environment design. The Belgian case (Veerle Baert) -- Chapter 16. The covered market between crossroads and narration of memories. A brief glimpse of an Italian market and the imagery that runs through it between past and present (Caterina Gallerani) -- Chapter 17. Inclusive innovation for age-friendly environments. The role of Living Labs dynamics in territories (Luciana Castro Gonçalves) -- Chapter 18. Citizen engagement: inclusive methodologies towards creating a city for all ages (Barbara Douglas) -- Chapter 19. Eleven study cases across Europe (Elisa Pozo Menéndez) -- Chapter 20. Learning and general principles for healthy and inclusive design considering regional context (Elisa Pozo Menéndez) -- Chapter 21. Conclusion and recommendations for further work (Elisa Pozo Menéndez).

This book represents a multidisciplinary and international vision across different countries in Europe that are facing similar challenges about ageing and quality of life in present cities. It is divided in three main topics from the global context of health in cities and reduction of health inequities to the current research of different study cases, focusing on residential models and the relationship with the built environment. The third chapter illustrates best practices with some study cases from different cities in Europe. Friendlier environments for older people come together with the need of innovation, smart and updated technologies, healthier environments and mitigation of climate change. Health re-appears nowadays as one of the priorities for urban planning and design, not only for the communicable diseases and the effect of the pandemics, but also for the non-communicable diseases, that were also triggering the wellbeing and equity of our cities. Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted health inequities and vulnerabilities of those areas of the city that were already deprived and facing other health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, social isolation, respiratory problems or mental health issues, specifically applying for vulnerable groups. Older adults have been one of the most affected groups from the pandemic's threats and derived consequences. In this context, the care crisis arises intertwined with the design and planning of our cities, where there is an urgent need to regenerate our environments with a perspective of sustainability, inclusion, and health prevention and promotion. From the global urban challenges to the specific contextualisation of each city and study cases, each chapter offers an updated insight of the main questions that we should consider to address urban planning and design from the perspective of ageing and social inclusion in European cities.

An "age-friendly environment," defined by the WHO as one that is open to all people regardless of their physical or mental abilities or limitations, that promotes health, engagement, and safety, has been recommended in order to keep older people active and engaged in society. According to WHO guidelines, active aging is linked to eight domains of the age-friendly environment: urban spaces and built environment, housing, transportation, social participation, civic participation and employment, respect and social inclusion, access to community support and health services, and communication and information. By the year 2035, Malaysia is expected to be an aging nation. Urban areas are expected to be home to a large proportion of the elderly in the future, making preparations for the aging population crucial for municipal and relevant government organizations. There is a paradigm shift from the individual to the community, focusing on the dynamic interactions between individuals and the environment in which they live. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, we gathered data from 300 participants. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to perform the analysis. The findings indicated that supportive social environments such as a community with respect and social inclusion; improved transportation services, parking facilities, health care, and economic security by prolonging employment for the senior population are contributing factors towards achieving age-friendly nation status.

"This book engages with the concept of age-friendly environments, adopting multi-perspectivity to demonstrate how age-friendly environments can contribute to shifting how we think, feel and act toward issues of age and ageing and operate as a vehicle to improve understandings of ageism. Drawing from traditionally distinct fields, the text demonstrates theoretical and applied dimensions of the age-friendly global agenda, with several chapters discussing topics that have to-date been underrepresented in age-friendly scholarship, including education, health and justice systems. The case studies encourage critical engagement with the issue of ageism in age-friendly scholarship. It presents a clear understanding of the inequalities, challenges and opportunities of ageing and of the ways international, regional, national and sub-national commitments in health, development and human rights etc. impact and are impacted by ageing through designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating policies and programs. The essays utilise a critical and interdisciplinary dialogue to enhance discussion of the age-friendly environment agenda through the inclusion of age-friendly perspectives in addition to its processes and destinations in an ageing society. The book serves as a catalyst to stimulate research, policy and public interest in the physical, social and regulatory environments in which we age and the consequent impact upon health and well-being. It will be of interest to professors, graduate students and undergraduate students in policy, sociology, health, planning and gerontology. It is also recommended reading for policy makers, politicians, think tanks, lobbyists, who are concerned with age inclusive/integrated policies across the life course"--

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to empirically investigate the role of age‐friendly environments (AFE) on the associations between income, informal social networks, and health among South Korean older adults. We used data from the "2017 Age Integration Survey" collected nationally and ultimately analyzed 615 older adults over 50 years of age. Structural equation modeling and multi‐group analysis were used to test the hypothesis. Specifically, two groups of perceived levels of AFE (top 25%, bottom 25%) were compared in order to examine the moderating effects. The results indicated that poor income and scarce informal social networks each had a significantly adverse impact on health. However, the effect of income on health was no longer significant for older adults living in environments that were more age‐friendly. In both groups, the presence of fewer informal social networks adversely impacted health, although the sizes of the effects decreased when the level of AFE perceived by older adults was improved. Finally, several implications of the study findings were discussed.

Developing environments responsive to the aspirations and needs of older people has become a major concern for social and public policy. This article aims to provide a critical perspective on what has been termed 'age-friendly cities' by shifting the focus from questions such as 'What is an ideal city for older people?' to the question of 'How age-friendly are cities?' This approach, it is argued, might be more suited to deal with the complexities of cities as sites of interlocking and conflicting commercial, social, and political interests. This theme is developed by examining: first, the main factors driving the age-friendly debate; second, constraints and opportunities for older people living in urban environments; third, options for a critical social policy; and, fourth, examples of involving older people in the development of age-friendly environments. The article concludes with a brief summary of current tensions and contradictions in the age-friendly debate.