Urban impacts on aging: what can we learn from the “Age-Friendly city” methodology?

Abstract

People are aware that environment affects their well-being, however few of them reflect about these questions, and even less manifest their impressions and public claims efficiently in order to benefit the community. Urban planning is related to diverse disciplines that compose environmental gerontology, nonetheless it rarely considers reports from the experiences of the elderly and professionals who assist them. Urbanization has its pros and cons. On one hand, it can create an increase of human interactions, yet on the other hand the environmental negative effects can hinder these meetings, creating distances and transforming the social public life. The World Health Organization’s “Age-friendly cities” methodology introduces guidelines applicable to different geopolitical contexts. It constitutes an opportunity to know the impressions of those who live or work in the studied area, offering important insights for government action. It can also grant legitimacy for the process, since it would be based on the Vancouver Protocol through scientific research. The greatest contribution is offering a voice for the citizens to express their perceptions and requirements regarding the city, giving value to their opinions. Certainly, it generates a more democratic and authentic way of exercising citizenship, making human rights more effective.