Population ageing and urbanization are two global trends that continue to provide challenges for many local governments.
The 2030 Agenda transformational vision and pledge to “leave no one behind” decrees that development agendas must include all persons, of all ages. The localization of the SDGs (sustainable development goals) across cities should therefore be based on equality, social justice and human dignity across the life course and recognize that older persons have an equal right to development.
More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused fear and suffering for older people. United Nations data reveals the fatality rate for older people is higher overall, and for those over 80, it is five times the global average. Beyond its immediate health impact, the pandemic is putting older people at greater risk of poverty, discrimination and isolation.
Local governments have a key role to play in creating age-friendly societies. This includes implementing actions that
- recognize the great diversity among older persons,
- promote their inclusion and contribution in all areas of community life,
- respect their decisions and lifestyle choices
- anticipate and respond flexibly to aging-related needs and preferences.
as well as actions to combat ageism, enable autonomy and support healthy ageing in all government policies and programmes.
Effective engagement with older persons requires active listening, responding to what matters to them most and ensuring that they are included in the conversations and decisions that directly affect them.
Further reading
Ageing, Older Persons and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Decade of healthy ageing baseline report
Below are 5 programmes on the use platform being implemented by local governments in partnerships with NGO’s, civil society and the private sector to support active aging.
The City of Nice in France is responding to a growing community need for providing senior citizens with quality at home healthcare by establishing a centre dedicated to digital health innovation.
The City of Fukuoka in Japan has undertaken a programme fostering a new form of community engagement that meets resident’s current lifestyles. The city values small communities including residents' and neighbourhood associations and works on building relationships among residents to ensure the sustainable health and wellbeing of all citizens.
In Finland, any large refurbishments of a house must be accompanied by measures to make it more energy efficient. This can create difficulties for people who live in heritage housing due to the shortage of skilled labour and modern materials that are not always compatible with heritage houses. The City of Tampere has come up with an innovative solution to this problem.
Staff at the public health agency of the City of Frankfurt and the University of Heidelberg have collaborated to launch the Silver Screen Festival. The Festival programmes films for intergenerational audiences in community groups, schools and cinemas. This creates opportunities for social exchange between older and younger people and implements cultural activities that invite all generations to meet, get to know, and learn from each other.
The City of Ghent together with public and private partners has established a strategic programme that develops and implements digital projects and activities in order to achieve e-inclusion in a sustainable way. This innovative approach boosts digital access, skills and participation for all citizens, especially older people.
For more programmes and policies related to active ageing click the link.