Concept

The concept of age-friendly cities, or environments, was launched in 2007 by the World Health Organization (WHO). With this integrative and holistic concept several aspects of the physical and social environments of citizens are being approached and improved in order to achieve that those environments facilitate and support active and healthy ageing for all. The concept regards all ages and has lifelong approach: from before conception until high ages. The main aim is to achieve a higher level of participation in society, encouraged self-esteem and improved functional and intrinsic capacity of people. Since the launch of the age-friendly environments concept, over 800 cities and communities have signed up with WHO’s Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities.

In 2012 in Europe, there was the initiative to bring together public authorities, advocacy organisations, businesses and research in the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP AHA). The partnership aims to improve the quality of life of European citizens, the sustainability of national healthcare systems and to give a boost to European industries and SMEs. EIP AHA currently exists of six Action Groups: one of them is dedicated to Age-friendly Buildings, Cities and Environments. Out of this Action Group the Covenant on Demographic Change: towards an age-friendly Europe originated and was launched in 2015. At the same time, WHO Regional Office for Europe developed a tool for policy makers and urban planners to realise age-friendly environments. AFEdemy is and was closely involved in these initiatives.

Together with Cáritas Coimbra, AFEdemy took the initiative to launch in the frame of the Health Policy Platform the Thematic Network 2018 on Smart Healthy Age-Friendly Environments (TN SHAFE). SHAFE was most voted and 3 out of 10 thematic networks were installed in March 2018 by the European Commission (DG SANTE). Cáritas Coimbra and AFEdemy coordinate the Thematic Network and launched a Framing Paper and presented the Joint Statement to the European Commission in November 2018. In 2019 the Thematic Network will evolve into a stakeholders network, already consisting of over 120 participants.

In 2060, almost one third of the European population is 65 years or above. The demographic old-age dependency ratio (people aged 65 or above relative to those aged 15-64) is projected to increase significantly in the EU as a whole in the coming decades. The EU would move from four working-age people for every person aged over 65 years in 2010 to around two working-age persons in 2070. Ageing is thus not only an individual but also a societal challenge for what age-friendly environments – as concept of participation, active and healthy ageing – are crucial. However, at a day-to-day implementation and delivery level, it can be very challenging to undertake the collaborative age-friendly environments work in close cooperation with citizens, necessary by civil servants, social and health care providers, public health providers, architects, engineers, urban designers and planners and IT companies. It is difficult to organise a joint sense of urgency and investment within civil services and related stakeholder groups. Outcomes are only visible at a long term and at the moment hardly to measure. Local and regional experience is lacking for instance to involve stakeholders, to write an action plan or to make an impact analysis. Here AFEdemy enters the scene: we aim to equip and build capacity of stakeholders to realise and implement Smart Healthy Age-Friendly Environments (SHAFE).

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