Our world is rapidly ageing. According to the United Nations, when the percentage of population of people over 65 years old is more than seven percent, such a society will be called "ageing society”. Therefore, as the number of the elderly people increase, the demand for medical care and welfare services will increase, and it will be necessary to provide those services properly.

In our fast ageing world, older people are increasingly playing a crucial role - by volunteering work, transmitting experience and knowledge, helping their families with caring responsibilities or in paid work. These contributions can only be ensured if older persons enjoy good health and if societies address their needs.

But how can cities of tomorrow handle the challenges of an ageing society?

To help cities make the most of an ever growing older population, WHO is releasing the Global Age-friendly Cities Guide including a checklist of essential features of age-friendly cities.

This checklist, based on the results of the WHO Global Age-Friendly Cities project consultation in 33 cities in 22 countries, can be seen as a guideline for cities handling an ageing society. There you can find a lot of features that make a city more age-friendly. This checklist is a tool for a city’s self-assessment and a map for charting progress. This checklist is intended to be used by individuals and groups interested in making their city more age-friendly. For the checklist to be effective, older people must be involved as full partners. In assessing a city’s strengths and deficiencies, older people will describe how the checklist of features matches their own experience of the city’s positive characteristics and barriers. They should play a role in suggesting changes and in implementing and monitoring improvements.
The checklists consists of essential features in different aspects of a city such as outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information and community and health services.

Here are some examples for essential features in these categories:

Outdoor spaces and buildings

• Pavements are non-slip, are wide enough for wheelchairs and have dropped curbs to road level.
• Special customer service arrangements are provided, such as separate queues or service counters for older people.

Transportation

• Specialized transportation is available for disabled people.
• Priority parking and drop-off spots for people with special needs are available and respected

Housing

• Sufficient and affordable housing for frail and disabled older people, with appropriate services, is provided locally.
• Home modification options and supplies are available and affordable, and providers understand the needs of older people.

Social participation

• Events are held at times convenient for older people.
• Good information about activities and events is provided, including details about accessibility of facilities and transportation options for older people.

Respect and social inclusion

• Older people are regularly consulted by public, voluntary and commercial services on how to serve them better.
• Older people are visible in the media, and are depicted positively and without stereotyping.

Civic participation and employment

• A range of flexible options for older volunteers is available, with training, recognition, guidance and compensation for personal costs.
• A range of flexible and appropriately paid opportunities for older people to work is promoted.
• Training in post-retirement options is provided for older workers.

Communication and information

• Regular information and broadcasts of interest to older people are offered.
• Electronic equipment, such as mobile telephones, radios, televisions, and bank and ticket machines, has large buttons and big lettering.

Community and health services

• Home care services include health and personal care and housekeeping.
• Residential care facilities and designated older people’s housing are located close to services and the rest of the community.
• Clear and accessible information is provided about health and social services for older people.

If you are interested in the whole checklist, please click here.

What do you think about this checklist? Do you think these features are efficient to handle an ageing society?

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