This important book provides a comprehensive survey of different strategies for developing age-friendly communities, and the extent to which older people themselves can be involved in the co-production of age-friendly policies and practices.

The ageing population is a global societal issue. Policymakers, planners and the public, third and private sectors must rethink how the built environment and services are delivered to meet the needs of a changing demographic. This is the first book to systematically review the evolution, development and progress of age-friendly thinking in the UK, with a primary focus on the real-world experiences of the people leading place-based initiatives. The book presents the findings of the first in-depth national study of age-friendly programme leaders in the UK, completed in 2021, and provides insights into the development of age-friendly communities, the formative influences from a social policy perspective, the management challenges and the progress towards achieving age-friendly goals. Using primary interview data and narrative analysis, the experiences of working with age-friendly programmes in different organisational forms are explored. The book promotes a greater understanding of what it means to become an age-friendly community in practice, how the programmes have different development pathways, and what influences different outcomes. Embellished with detailed narratives from practitioners, informative tables, and diagrams and figures throughout, the book carefully gathers the voices of a diverse range of decision-makers and leaders associated with the age-friendly movement and provides unique insights on the drivers of change in specific localities. This is a must-read for anyone involved in ageing research or ageing policy and practice as it provides an insightful look into the real world of embedding this community development model in different localities to make a difference to the lives of older people. Topical themes include how these agendas connect with other issues, such as dementia-friendly programmes and the work of the third sector, as well as the growing challenge of what it means to be ‘friendly’ as a community and place and whether ‘friendly’ is becoming an over-used term in relation to place identity. The book has national and global interest for all communities engaged in age-friendly activity, offering exemplars of best practice, achievements in transforming local communities and views on the meaning of ageing, as well as the age-friendly lens as an approach that champions the world through the eyes of older people. It offers a thought-provoking read for anyone with an interest in this expanding area of ageing, irrespective of disciplinary focus.

The guide is aimed primarily at urban planners, but older citizens can use it to monitor progress towards more age-friendly cities. At its heart is a checklist of age-friendly features. For example, an age-friendly city has sufficient public benches that are well-situated, well-maintained and safe, as well as sufficient public toilets that are clean, secure, accessible by people with disabilities and well-indicated. Other key features of an age-friendly city include: well-maintained and well-lit sidewalks; public buildings that are fully accessible to people with disabilities; city bus drivers who wait until older people are seated before starting off and priority seating on buses; enough reserved parking spots for people with disabilities; housing integrated in the community that accommodates changing needs and abilities as people grow older; friendly, personalized service and information instead of automated answering services; easy-to-read written information in plain language; public and commercial services and stores in neighbourhoods close to where people live, rather than concentrated outside the city; and a civic culture that respects and includes older persons.

As the drive towards creating age-friendly cities grows, this important book provides a comprehensive survey of theories and policies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people living in urban areas. In this book, part of the Ageing in a Global Context series, leading international researchers critically assess the problems and the potential of designing age-friendly environments. The book considers the different ways in which cities are responding to population ageing, the different strategies for developing age-friendly communities, and the extent to which older people themselves can be involved in the co-production of age-friendly policies and practices. The book includes a manifesto for the age-friendly movement, focused around tackling social inequality and promoting community empowerment.

Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. How can we design, develop and adapt urban environments to better meet the needs and aspirations of an increasingly diverse ageing population? This edited collection offers a new approach to understanding the opportunities and challenges of creating ‘age-friendly’ communities in the context of urban change. Drawing together insights from leading voices across a range of disciplines, the book emphasises the urgent need to address inequalities that shape the experience of ageing in urban environments. The book combines a focus on social justice, equity, diversity and co-production to enhance urban life. Exploring a range of age-friendly community projects, contributors demonstrate that, despite structural obstacles, meaningful social change is achievable at a local level.

Available open access digitally under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. How can we design, develop and adapt urban environments to better meet the needs and aspirations of an increasingly diverse ageing population? This edited collection offers a new approach to understanding the opportunities and challenges of creating ‘age-friendly’ communities in the context of urban change. Drawing together insights from leading voices across a range of disciplines, the book emphasises the urgent need to address inequalities that shape the experience of ageing in urban environments. The book combines a focus on social justice, equity, diversity and co-production to enhance urban life. Exploring a range of age-friendly community projects, contributors demonstrate that, despite structural obstacles, meaningful social change is achievable at a local level.

This book embeds the principles of how we should approach the design of future housing for an ageing population, reminding us that this is not about ‘other people’, but about each of us. This book focuses on anticipating the needs and aspirations of the next generation of older people, and touches on what this implies for our communities, our towns and our cities, as well as for our living spaces. It will look at how well-designed buildings can facilitate the provision of care, support independence and wellbeing while providing companionship and stimulation. It will also examine how to ensure that buildings remain flexible over a long life. Dealing mainly with new-build, but with a section on adaptation and refurbishment, this book sets out the underlying design principles that should be applied and the early decisions that must be taken.