Ageing in a Global Context

A Global Perspective

Tine Buffel, Sophie Handler, Chris Phillipson, Tine Buffel, Sophie Handler, Chris Phillipson

• Publisher: Policy Press
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781447331353
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Sciences sociales
• Subtopic: Gérontologie

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.

Part 1

Age-friendly cities and communities: background, theory and development

ONE

Introduction

Tine Buffel, Sophie Handler and Chris Phillipson

The main purpose of this volume is to provide an assessment of the potential for developing environments responsive to the aspirations and needs of older people. Bringing together theories and empirical research, the book examines experiences of ageing in contrasting urban settings, drawing together a range of multi- and interdisciplinary perspectives. It provides a critical appraisal of what has been termed the development of 'age-friendly cities and communities', by exploring such policies in the context of urban change arising from globalisation, urban regeneration and austerity. Building on a range of international perspectives, the book develops new ways of approaching the issue of ageing and urbanisation. Crucially, it identifies age-friendly strategies designed to improve the lives of older people and ways in which older people themselves can be involved in the co-production of age-friendly policies and practices.

The discussion of how environmental complexity influences ageing is essential for all those involved in building and managing 'age-friendly' communities. The book is especially relevant to scholars in the field of social gerontology, social policy, housing, public health, urban studies, sociology and geography. It should also appeal to policymakers, urban planners, international organisations, service providers, practitioners and older people interested in improving the quality of life in cities. The volume was conceived as an attempt to draw together a fresh assessment of findings on the creation of age-friendly communities, drawing on insights from research, policy and (design) practice. It aims to stimulate discussion and consideration of new areas for theoretical and empirical development, and to raise aspirations of what is now a worldwide 'age-friendly' movement.

Background

Developing what has been termed 'age-friendly cities and communities' (AFCC) has become an important area of work in the field of public policy and ageing (WHO, 2015). This reflects, first, the complexity of demographic change, with the emergence of a wide spectrum of needs among different cohorts in the 50-plus age group; second, awareness of the importance of the physical and social environment in maintaining the quality of life of older people; and third, emphasis on community care and neighbourhood support as primary goals of health and social care.

Although the age-friendly movement has been in existence for over a decade, the research literature covering this topic remains sparse. Various studies have emerged, bringing together a combination of case studies and contributions to policy development (for notable examples see Caro and Fitzgerald, 2016; Moulaert and Garon, 2016). This book builds on and extends these existing studies, while bringing a distinctive approach grounded in acknowledgement of the strains affecting many communities in their attempts to develop support to groups such as older people. Such pressures include: widening economic inequalities within cities (Burdett and Sudjic, 2008; Harvey, 2008); the impact of rural migration on urban environments and the displacement of traditional sources of support (Lloyd-Sherlock et al, 2012); the influence of economic globalisation and the rise of 'world cities' (Phillipson, 2010; Sassen, 2012); increasing inequality between cities affected by either rapid industrialisation or de-industrialisation (Hall, 2013); and, finally, the impact of economic austerity following the global financial crisis of 2008 (Walsh et al, 2015).

Developments such as these have received limited acknowledgement within the age-friendly movement (Buffel and Phillipson, 2016). While the dominant approach in public policy has been towards encouraging what has come to be termed 'ageing in place' (Golant, 2009), the places in which older people experience ageing have often proved to be hostile and challenging environments (Buffel et al, 2013; Buffel, 2015). The different contributions to this book explore this theme in various ways: through examining the theoretical assumptions underpinning the idea of an 'age-friendly community'; through case studies of age-friendly work in contrasting environments in Asia, Australia and Europe; and through assessing different design and policy interventions aimed at improving the physical and social environments in which people live.

Aims and key research questions

Based on the context sketched out, this book has the following principal aims: first, to bring together theories and empirical research examining the experiences of older people in contrasting urban settings; second, to provide a critical perspective on developing age-friendly communities and to assess new ways of approaching the issue of ageing and urbanisation; third, to identify age-friendly strategies and initiatives designed to improve the lives of older people; and fourth, to identify ways in which older people themselves can be involved in the co-production of age-friendly policies and practices. These aims are reflected in the following questions examined in the various chapters in the book:

•How are different cities responding to population ageing? What kind of age-friendly strategies do they have? Who are the key actors? To what extent do older people influence these strategies?

•How do older people experience daily life in cities? How do older people utilise and benefit from their urban environment? To what extent are their experiences affected by differential access to resources (for example, material, social and cultural)?

•What is the impact of growing spatial inequalities on older people living in cities and neighbourhoods?

•How can cities be developed to improve the lives of older people? How can older people participate in urban governance structures? How should professionals engaged in the planning and design of cities respond to population ageing? What policies, programmes and processes would allow cities to develop as age-friendly communities?

The idea of promoting age-friendly environments embraces the full range of spatial forms – from densely populated urban areas to isolated rural communities. The focus of this volume is predominantly on the former (reflecting the work of the contributors) but many of the themes discussed will have relevance for many other types of communities, and reference has been made to these where appropriate. The book also has a strong interdisciplinary perspective, drawing on disciplines as diverse as architecture, environmental gerontology, human geography, sociology, social policy and urban design.

Origins of the book

The origins of the book stem from contributions and discussions in the International Network on Population Ageing and Urbanisation (INPAU). INPAU was a global network of major research groups, local authorities, NGOs and charitable foundations committed to studying the impact of population ageing on urban environments. The network had core funding from the UK Economic and Social Research Council International Partnership and Networking Scheme, as well as from partner universities in Asia, Europe and the United States, Manchester City Council and third sector organisations. INPAU brought together a range of disciplinary interests and research groups, with meetings combining the presentation of papers with site visits to urban areas of particular interest in respect of supporting ageing populations. In between regular meetings, the group organised numerous symposia at international conferences, and contributed to research proposals on age-friendly issues.

All of the chapters that follow have been specially commissioned but they build on and reflect the work of INPAU – the majority of contributors having been members of the network. In this context, the book does reflect discussions that have been carried on over a period of some five years, examining the theoretical and empirical challenges attached to understanding the relationship between population ageing and the complexity of urban development.

Structure of the book

The book is divided into three parts. Part 1, consisting of three main chapters, examines the origins and implementation of age-friendly policies, linking these to theoretical questions surrounding changes in the nature of community life in the 21st century. A key argument developed in this part concerns the need to incorporate issues relating to social inequalities and exclusion as an integral part of the debate around developing AFCCs. Following this introduction, Samuèle Rémillard-Boilard provides an overview of the contributing factors that have led to the development of AFCCs in Chapter Two. This focuses on the influence of the WHO AFCC model, and explores a number of issues associated with the implementation of age-friendly policies and initiatives. The chapter further locates discussions about AFCC in the context of theoretical debates within environmental gerontology, emphasising the importance of such perspectives and related disciplines in advancing knowledge about 'what works' in respect of age-friendly interventions.

In Chapter Three, Fleur Thomése, Tine Buffel and Chris Phillipson place the debate about AFCCs within a sociological context and explore the links between 'community' on the one side, and the idea of 'age-friendliness' on the other. The chapter draws on a range of theoretical perspectives in sociological and community studies to assess current pressures facing communities, especially those linked with neighbourhood inequalities and the impact of globalisation. It concludes by discussing strategies for strengthening the community dimension of AFCCs and develops key principles for a critical social policy strategy that promotes age-friendliness.

Building on this, Jessica A. Kelley, Dale Dannefer and Luma Issa Al Marsarweh, in Chapter Four, argue for a greater awareness and understanding of how macro-level developments, such as gentrification and transnational migration, influence the creation of AFCCs. The authors identify two key challenges that limit the success and effectiveness of both age-friendly initiatives and the scholarly field of environmental gerontology: first, microfication, or the tendency to focus on immediate aspects of everyday life while overlooking broader, overarching aspects of the social context that define and set key parameters of daily experience; and second, erasure, referring to the issue that certain groups of people remain 'unseen' in policy, research, or institutional practices. Remedying the limiting effects of these tendencies will be essential to increase the value and effectiveness of both of these enterprises, the authors conclude.

Part 2 consists of five chapters, each of which presents empirical research drawn from case studies demonstrating the challenges and opportunities for developing age-friendly policies in communities undergoing pressures from gentrification, migration and related forms of change. In Chapter Five, Meredith Dale, Josefine Heusinger and Birgit Wolter examine the impact of gentrification processes in Berlin, Germany, on the distribution of older people across the city as well as the everyday experiences of ageing in socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The chapter concludes with an overview of developments in the context of political processes, where urban transformation driven by economic interests generates growing conflict and contradiction with the needs of an ageing and increasingly less affluent population.

In Chapter Six, An-Sofie Smetcoren, Liesbeth De Donder, Daan Duppen, Nico De Witte, Olivia Vanmechelen and Dominique Verté turn to the question of how an age-friendly urban environment can support frail older people to 'age in place'. To address this issue, the chapter presents findings from a study that assessed the value of an Active Caring Community project in supporting frail older adults living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Brussels, Belgium. The project was aimed at creating a community that supports the process of ageing in place; where residents of the community know and help each other; where meeting opportunities are developed; and where individuals and their informal caregivers receive care and support from motivated professionals. The authors highlight the importance of the social dimension of the environment, and discuss a range of related opportunities and constraints that may affect older people's frailty.

In Chapter Seven, David R. Phillips, Jean Woo, Francis Cheung, Moses Wong and Pui Hing Chau provide a comprehensive overview of age-friendly approaches and developments in Hong Kong. The chapter first considers learning lessons from other large Asia-Pacific cities, including those in Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore and China, in terms of developing AFCCs. It then reviews a range of initiatives in Hong Kong, focusing in particular on those concerned with the domains of social participation and those involving housing and accommodation initiatives. The chapter concludes by discussing some of the positive achievements of the approach and some of the negative factors that might hinder future achievement of age-friendliness locally, including the pressing issue of elderly poverty in a rich city.

In Chapter Eight, Bernard McDonald, Thomas Scharf and Kieran Walsh examine the dynamics of the implementation process of an age-friendly county programme in one of the participating counties in Ireland, County Fingal. The chapter integrates the views of local, national and international stakeholders to explore the complex interplay of forces at these various levels that have influenced the development and impact of Fingal's local programme. Findings from empirical research are used to explore the key stakeholders' motivations and actions that were influential in developing and implementing the programme, and the attitudes, understandings and actions of these same stakeholders that underpin, and are reflected in, the processes established to involve older people in the programme. The chapter concludes by highlighting key issues that need to be addressed to enhance the potential impact of age-friendly community programmes on older adults' lives.

Chapter Nine focuses on the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing age-friendly approaches in Australia. In this chapter, Hal Kendig, Cathy Gong and Lisa Cannon review the evolution of Australia's ageing population, including its increasing diversity, and consider evidence on the liveability of Australian cities, especially for disadvantaged older people. The chapter provides a review of AFCC initiatives, comparing Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra in a state and national context. It concludes with a critical assessment of both challenges and achievements associated with age-friendly work, and suggests a number of ways forward for developing and evaluating the AFCC approach in Australia.

Part 3 consists of five chapters that identify a range of design strategies and policy initiatives aimed at improving the environment in which older people live. In Chapter Ten, Stefan White and Mark Hammond explore what it means to use a 'capability' approach to designing an age-friendly city, including its potential for offering new ways of producing and occupying physical and social environments that respond directly to the lived experiences of older people. Drawing on an interdisciplinary community-engaged research/urban design project in Manchester, UK, the chapter examines the applicability of AFCC design guidance within a specific urban neighbourhood, and explores how the process of discovering and sharing information about the lived experience of older residents translates into the development and implementation of age-friendly activities focused around urban design.

Developing this 'design' perspective further, Sophie Handler, in Chapter Eleven, identifies new and creative ways in which architects, artists and designers might be drawn into debates around age-friendly urban practice. The chapter describes the way in which current understandings of age-friendly design are limited and how an emerging field of socially engaged design practice can be harnessed to reinvigorate the terms of age-friendly debate and pr...

Table of contents

• Coverpage
• Title page
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of tables and figures
• Acknowledgements
• List of abbreviations
• Notes on contributors
• Series editors' preface
• Part 1: Age-friendly cities and communities: background, theory and development
• one Introduction
• two The development of age-friendly cities and communities
• three Neighbourhood change, social inequalities and age-friendly communities
• four Addressing erasure, microfication and social change: age-friendly initiatives and environmental gerontology in the 21st century
• Part 2: Case studies from Europe, Asia and Australia
• five Age and gentrification in Berlin: urban ageing policy and the experiences of disadvantaged older people
• six Towards an ‘active caring community’ in Brussels
• seven Exploring the age-friendliness of Hong Kong: opportunities, initiatives and challenges in an ageing Asian city
• eight Creating an age-friendly county in Ireland: stakeholders’ perspectives on implementation
• nine Implementing age-friendly cities in Australia
• Part 3: Age-friendly policies, urban design and a manifesto for change
• ten From representation to active ageing in a Manchester neighbourhood: designing the age-friendly city
• eleven Alternative age-friendly initiatives: redefining age-friendly design
• twelve Developing age-friendly policies for cities: strategies, challenges and reflections
• thirteen The age-friendly community: a test for inclusivity
• fourteen Age-friendly cities and communities: a manifesto for change