AUSTRALIA has a growing population of older adults, the majority living in cities. The challenge, then, is to ensure city environments meet their needs and personal goals.
An issue is that senior citizens are treated as receivers of solutions instead of creators. To achieve real benefits it’s essential to involve them in developing the solutions.
WORKING TOWARDS AGE-FRIENDLY CITIES
To counter a rise in urban ageism, the World Health Organisation has been promoting age-friendly cities for nearly 15 years.
Its age-friendly framework includes these goals:
- equity
- an accessible physical environment
- an inclusive social environment.
Cities and towns around the world, including local councils in Australia, have begun working towards this.
Smart city approaches can make urban neighbourhoods more age-friendly.
One way technology and better design do this is to improve access to the such things as walking routes which have shade and places to stop and rest.
Our research has considered three factors in ensuring smart city solutions.
REPLACE AGEISM WITH AGENCY
Government efforts have focused on increasing life expectancy rather than improving quality of life and independence.
CONNECT TO SMART CITY DATA
Cities are about infrastructure. Senior citizens need to have access to information about this infrastructure to be motivated to spend time in their neighbourhood and reduce their risk of isolation.
INCLUDE CO-DESIGN IN PLANNING
Co-design processes that involve older adults in smart city planning, leads to greater participation and inclusion.
To create truly age-friendly smart cities, it is important for older people to be co-designers of the digital layer.
