Age-Friendly Cities and Communities: A Global Perspective

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.

Review: "This important new collection should be read by planners, place makers, gerontologists and urban sociologists, everyone, in short, who is concerned with urban areas and how they might respond to demographic change. (It is) a fresh politicised approach to the AFC discussion... this book offers inspiration to those looking to understand and implement change in the complexity of the city." International Journal of Housing Policy
"An invaluable resource for anybody interested in the global age-friendly movement and a clear and insightful agenda for future action." Alana Officer, responsible for the World Health Organization's Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities
"Useful for second and third year undergraduates and especially in modules with international context and a focus on older citizens. A welcome addition to our curriculum." Paul Simpson, Edgehill University

Contents: Part One:Age-friendly cities and communities; background, theory and development Introduction ~ Tine Buffel, Sophie Handler and Chris Phillipson; The development of age-friendly cities and communities ~ Samuele Remillard-Boilard; Neighbourhood change, social inequalities and age-friendly communities ~ Fleur Thomese,Tine Buffel and Chris Phillipson; Addressing erasure, microfication and social change: age-friendly initiatives and environmental gerontology in the 21st century ~ Jessica A. Kelley, Dale Dannefer and Luma Issa Al Masarweh; Part Two: Case studies from Europe, Asia and Australia; Age and gentrification in Berlin: urban ageing policy and the experiences of disadvantaged older people ~ Meredith Dale, Josefine Heusinger and Birgit Wolter; Towards an "active caring community" in Brussels ~ An-Sofie Smetcoren, Liesbeth De Donder, Daan Duppen, Nico De Witte, Olivia Vanmechelen and Dominique Verte; Exploring the age-friendliness of Hong Kong: opportunities, initiatives and challenges in an ageing Asian city ~ David Phillips, Jean Woo, Francis Cheung, Moses Wong and Pui Hing Chau; Creating an age-friendly county in Ireland: stakeholders' perspectives on implementation ~ Bernard McDonald, Thomas Scharf and Kieran Walsh; Implementing age-friendly cities in Australia ~ Hal Kendig, Cathy Gong and Lisa Cannon; Part Three: Age-friendly policies, urban design and a manifesto for change; From representation to active ageing in a Manchester neighbourhood: designing the age-friendly city ~ Stefan White and Mark Hammond; Alternative age-friendly initiatives: redefining age-friendly design ~ Sophie Handler; Developing age-friendly policies for cities: strategies, challenges and reflections ~ Paul McGarry; The age-friendly community: a test for inclusivity ~ Sheila Peace, Jeanne Katz, Caroline Holland and Rebecca L. Jones; Age-friendly cities and communities: a manifesto for change ~ Tine Buffel, Sophie Handler and Chris Phillipson.