What is an age-friendly community?
An age-friendly community is defined as a place where people of all ages and abilities can meet their daily needs and participate in community life close to home. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies eight core components to age-friendly cities and communities:
1.Community and health care
2.Transportation
3.Housing
4.Social spaces
5.Outdoor spaces and buildings
6.Respect and social inclusion
7.Civil participation and employment
8.Communication and information
The list offers a starting point for creating age-friendly communities, while recognizing that priorities and needs may vary according to local context. The graphic below shows British Columbia, Canada’s age-friendly communities framework, adapted from the WHO.
This training focuses on the built environment, which refers to physical elements of our cities and neighbourhoods (for example, streets, buildings, public spaces, signage, art, parks, and more).
An inclusive built environment supports other components of the age-friendly framework by ensuring that everyone can access neighbourhood spaces and buildings to participate in social activities, use services, and meet daily needs.
This training focuses on the built environment, which refers to physical elements of our cities and neighbourhoods (for example, streets, buildings, public spaces, signage, art, parks, and more).
An inclusive built environment supports other components of the age-friendly framework by ensuring that everyone can access neighbourhood spaces and buildings to participate in social activities, use services, and meet daily needs.
Check out the WHO Global database of age-friendly practices to learn more!
Graphic Source: Government of BC 2022