A move towards age-friendly cities
07 Aug 2014
According to the United Nations, currently the number of older persons (60+) sits at 600 million.
By 2025, that number will double. By 2050 it is estimated two billion of the world’s population will be over the age of 60. In response, the World Health Organisation (WHO) set up the Global Age-Friendly Cities Project, encouraging cities to look after its older citizens and become ‘age-friendly’.
In an age-friendly city, policies, services and structures are designed to support older people to age actively and continue to participate in society. Categories include outdoor spaces, transportation, housing, communication and health services. New York was the first city to join the Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities. Earlier this year, Manchester was officially recognised as the UK’s most age-friendly city. Australian cities involved in the project include Melville and Canberra.
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