2.2.2. Planning for age-friendly communities
In 2006 the WHO launched the global Age-friendly Cities project, a concept developed out of the Active Ageing framework from 2002 (Menec et al., 2011). Since then, the age-friendly community program has been a growing movement, yet there is no universally accepted definition to date (Novek & Menec, 2013). The WHO defines age-friendly cities as cities that establish policies, services, settings and structures that support active aging. The concept of active aging is tied closely to the concept of Aging in Place, as it describes a “process optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age” (World Health Organization, 2007, p. 5). The links between the three concepts, Active Aging, Aging in Place, and Age-friendly communities, become clear with Matlo’s definition of age-friendly communities. An age-friendly community simply defines a community that is optimal for Aging in Place (Matlo, 2013), and encourages active aging. The concept of age-friendly communities focuses on the built environment and its effect on older adults’ ability to age in place, with the goal of enabling and optimizing the mobility of older adults. Yet, age-friendly communities should also encompass policies and programs promoting a healthy social environment, such as promoting social and civic engagement, minimizing effects of isolation, and enabling mental well-being (Novek & Menec, 2013).