for eMaxHealthAge-Friendly Cities
WHO releases the first guide on age-friendly cities. The guide, which is based on consultations with older people in 33 cities in 22 countries, has identified the key physical, social and services attributes of age-friendly urban settings. Istanbul, London, Melbourne, Mexico City, Moscow, Nairobi, New Delhi, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, and Tokyo were part of the consultation along with many other regional centres and towns.
The publication titled Global age-friendly cities: a guide is being launched in London and in Geneva on the occasion of International Day of Older Persons. Other events will take place over the next 10 days in Buenos Aires, New York and Rio de Janeiro. Cities that collaborated in the consultation are planning to address the barriers that have been identified and many others want to adopt the guide. Led by New York, other cities are exploring what makes cities more age-friendly for increasing older migrant populations.
"Age-friendly cities benefit people of all ages, not just older people, and WHO is committed to disseminating and promoting the implementation of the guide worldwide," said Mrs Daisy Mafubelu, WHO Assistant Director-General for Family and Community Health.
Aimed at urban planners
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:
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