Ten questions concerning age-friendly cities and communities and the built environment

• Published in: Building and environment Vol. 199; p. 107922
• Main Authors: van Hoof, J., Marston, H.R., Kazak, J.K., Buffel, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.07.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Age; Age-friendly cities; Aging; Built environment; Cities; Housing; Older people; Questions; Review; Smart cities; Technology; Urban environments; WHO; Smart cities; Technology; Older people; Age-friendly cities; Built environment; Review; Housing; WHO
• ISSN: 0360-1323; 1873-684X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.107922

The development of ‘age-friendly cities’ has become a major area of work in the field of ageing and the built environment. This movement is driven by the observation that cities are home to an ever-increasing ageing population. Over the past decade, a multitude of age-friendly initiatives have been developed with the aim of making physical and social environments more favourable for older people's well-being, health and ability to live in the community. This article explores ten key questions associated with the age-friendly cities and communities' movement, with a particular focus on the built environment. It provides an overview of the history of the age-friendly cities' movement and the underlying models, the aspects of the built environment that are relevant for age-friendly cities, the ways age-friendliness can be evaluated, and the interactions between age-friendly cities initiatives and other strategic agendas such as smart cities. The paper concludes by discussing future perspectives and possible directions for further development of the age-friendly movement. •This article explores ten questions on age-friendly cities focusing on the built environment.•The paper provides an overview of age-friendly assessment tools.•On a global scale, an overhauled model of age-friendly cities is needed.•A discussion of future perspectives of the age-friendly movement is provided.•Overlooking the digitalisation of society has been a missed opportunity for age-friendliness.