Age-Friendly Communities for Older Adults (Research, Video 3:41)

Older adults have made their voices very clear about wanting to age in place at home. But without a great deal of support from the community in addition to varied and better services, aging in place will be hard to meet mental and physical needs of a rapidly growing population. More emphasis should be on prevention-focused and community-based approaches.

Fortunately, initiatives such as the World Health Organization's Global Age-Friendly Communities (AFC) Network, with 287 communities in 33 countries, and AARP's Network of AFCs with 77 communities in the United States have stepped up to meet the challenge. What should be provided to create successful age-friendly communities? These are necessary considerations:

1) Older adults should be actively involved, valued, and supported with necessary infrastructure and services.

2)  There should be affordable housing, safe outdoor spaces and built environments conducive to active living, inexpensive and convenient transportation options.

3)  There should be opportunities for social participation, community leadership, and accessible health and wellness services.

4)  Active, culture-based approaches, supported and developed by local communities, and including an intergenerational component are important.

5)  Academic geriatric psychiatry needs to play a major role in the evolving AFC movement to ensure that mental healthcare is considered and delivered on par with physical care.

Age-friendly West Chester, PA, which is featured in this video, is a great example of a World Health Organization's Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. Older adults there are socially integrated, diverse, and connected to younger generations.

Frances Shani Parker, Author

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