SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER © 2023 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org Some rights reserved This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. 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Cover design: Takayo Muroga Fredericks SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Yuko Arai Ibrahim Ali Khan SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Contents Abbreviations IV Acknowledgments V Introduction 1 Regional Trends in Aging 3 Aging and Urbanization 5 Aging across Income Levels 8 Who are Older Persons? 9 Building Age-Ready Cities 11 Universal Design toward Age-Readiness 14 Housing Solutions for Age-Readiness 17 Mixing It Up: Creating Multigenerational “Spaces” toward Age-Readiness 18 Getting Around: Age-Readiness through Improved Transportation 19 Vision and Action toward Age-Readinesss 20 Conclusion 22 Annex 1 23 Endnotes 25 References 26 ii SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Figures Figure 1. Why Focus on Age-Ready Cities? 2 Figure 2. Regional Variation in Aging, 1969–2050 3 Figure 3. Aging in Pacific Island Countries, 2020 and 2050 4 Figure 4. The Confluence of Aging and Urbanization 5 Figure 5. Median Age of the Population is Rising with the Share of Population in Urban Areas 7 Figure 6. Aging Populations by Country Income Group in 2020 8 Figure 7. Population Projections of Older Persons by Income Group, 2020–2100 9 Figure 8. Female-Male Ratio of Older Persons in Top Five Aging Countries in the Region 10 Figure 9. Attributes of Age-Ready Cities 11 Figure 10. Six Action Areas to Enhance Age-Readiness in Cities 13 Figure 11. Six Steps toward Age-Readiness 21 Boxes Box 1. Socioeconomic Challenges of Older Persons in Seoul 10 Box 2. Gathering Data to Improve Accessibility in Indonesian Cities 11 Box 3. Leveraging Technology for Age-Readiness in Singapore 12 Box 4. Aged Care Policies in Malaysia 12 Box 5. Creating Age-Friendly Communities in China 14 Box 6. World Bank Projects Incorporating Universal Design Principles 15 Box 7. Universal Design in Japan 16 Box 8. Urban Accessibility in Beijing 16 Box 9. Facilitating Access to Age-Friendly Rental Housing in Japan 17 Box 10. Seoul’s Efforts toward Creating an Age-Friendly Environment 18 Box 11. Building Capacities for Transport Authorities to Enhance 19 a Universally Accessible Public Transport Network – Vietnam Box 12. City Health and Wellbeing Initiative in Udon Thani, Thailand 20 iii SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Abbreviations AI Artificial Intelligence ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease of 2019 CSRRP Central Sulawesi Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Project EAP East Asia and Pacific GPURL World Bank’s Urban Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land Global Practice KPI Key Performance Indicator NSUP Indonesia National Slum Upgrading Project OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development SDGs Sustainable Development Goals SUUP Vietnam Scaling up Urban Upgrading Project UA Universal Accessibility UNDESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization WHO World Health Organization iv SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Acknowledgments “Silver Hues: Building Age-Ready Cities” was written by a team led by Maitreyi Bordia Das and Yuko Arai, with Terri B. Chapman and Vibhu Jain as core members, under the guidance of Sameh Wahba and Bernice K. Van Bronkhorst, Global Directors of the World Bank’s Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land Global Practice (GPURL). The East Asia and Pacific (EAP) Regional Paper was developed under the initiative of Anna Wellenstein, EAP Sustainable Development Regional Director, Yoonhee Kim and Ming Zhang, EAP GPURL Practice Managers and written by Yuko Arai and Ibrahim Ali Khan. The Team is grateful to all feedback received from EAP country focal points. Lisa Ferraro Parmelee gave editorial support, and Takayo Muroga Fredericks designed the report. v Top: kalilipatvideoart / Shutterstock, Bottom: Andrew Babble / Shutterstock SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Introduction Four major trends are shaping our world: demographic transition, urban expansion, technological advancement, and frequent shocks from health and climate emergencies. Among the demographic shifts, aging is particularly significant as life expectancy increases, and fertility rates decline. Additionally, the increasing urbanization of the world, with two-thirds of the population projected to live in cities by 2050, exacerbates the impact of aging on urban areas. Furthermore, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, characterized by widespread integration of information, communication, and technology into our daily lives, has a crucial role in the future of development. Lastly, the simultaneous occurrence of these trends, such as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and growing natural disasters, is having a significant impact on cities, countries, and regions. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for the creation of inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities. The World Bank report, “Silver Hues: Building Age-Ready Cities,” maps global trends and their implications for urban areas and aligns with SDG Goal 11 “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” and the “United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030)”. It provides guidance for city governments on how to create age-ready cities, filling a gap in the policy research on aging in urban areas. This note has been curated from the Silver Hues report. It summarizes the report’s key analysis, insights and findings and is tailored for audiences interested in the East Asia Pacific (EAP) region. Why focus on age-ready cities, and how is it relevant for the EAP region? An age-ready city has intrinsic and instrumental values for all residents, regardless of their age. Investing in age-ready cities is essential because: • Age-ready cities have universal benefits for a wide range of groups including persons with disabilities, travelers, manual workers, and more. • There is a strong overlap between aging and disability, with older persons being significantly overrepresented among those with disabilities. • The benefits of accessibility to society outweigh the costs, as demonstrated by the success of the Americans with Disabilities Act (U.S. Department of Justice 2010). • The marginal costs of achieving age-readiness are limited and can have significant benefits, making it important for developing economies facing both urbanization and aging. • Older persons constitute a growing market for goods and services, presenting a huge opportunity for entrepreneurship and innovation. • Older persons can be productive and provide intergenerational transfers of resources to both younger and older generations. 1 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER FIGURE 1. WHY FOCUS ON AGE-READY CITIES? 1 The benefits of age- 2 readiness are universal. Overlap between disability and aging needs to be especially underscored. 3 There are economic and social benefits of 4 “building better before” over retrofitting or adding accessibility features afterwards. Older persons constitute a large and growing market for goods and services. $ RETROFITTING OR ADDING ACCESSIBILITY BUILDING FEATURES BETTER $ AFTERWARDS BEFORE 5 Intergenerational transfer of resources occurs in both directions—young to old and old to young. 6 Many cities pride themselves on their vision of being “cities for all.” Source: World Bank 2 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER However, despite the advantages of being age-ready, it is not always possible for cities to invest in policies and programs due to limited resources and technical capabilities. This requires political determination, a long-term perspective, and a collective agreement. Encouraging non-government organizations, private entities, and senior citizen groups to become involved and invest in age-readiness initiatives can attract the necessary financial and technical support. Regional Trends in Aging This section sheds light on the diverse profile of older individuals in the EAP and underscores the significance of understanding their needs to achieve age-readiness for cities. The aging process in the region has been occurring rapidly, as illustrated in Figure 2. It has experienced a faster aging rate compared to other regions, with countries like China, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam projected to transition from aging to an aged society in a mere 25, 22, 22 and 19 years, respectively. In comparison, the transition in France and Sweden occurred in 115 and 85 years, respectively (UNESCAP n.d.). The trend of aging populations will only become more pronounced in the coming decades, with the elderly population in the region projected to double from 13 percent in 2022 to 26 percent in 2050. FIGURE 2. REGIONAL VARIATION IN AGING, 1969-2050 ESTIMATES PROJECTIONS 30 Percentage of population 65 years and above (%) 25 20 15 10 5 0 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 ECA LAC EAP SAR Mena SSA Source: Based on World Bank 2021a, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.65UP.TO?view=chart. 3 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER As of 2022, Japan has the highest proportion of its population aged 65 and over, estimated at around 30 percent. However, it is predicted that by 2050, Hong Kong SAR, China will surpass Japan with 40.5 percent of its population above 65. Notably, Republic of Korea (South Korea) is projected to experience the most rapid aging between 2020 and 2050, with nearly 40 percent of its population projected to be aged 65 and over by that time. Additionally, Thailand, and China are also expected to have significant portions of their populations aged 65 and over will be considered “super- aged” (with persons over 65 years old surpassing 20 percent of the population)1 by 2050. Furthermore, aging is also impacting Pacific Island nations. As figure 3 illustrates, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over is expected to significantly increase in the region, more than doubling in places like Kiribati, Northern Mariana Islands and Papua New Guinea. FIGURE 3. AGING IN PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES, 2020 AND 2050 French Polynesia Northern Mariana Islands New Caledonia Guam American Samoa Palau Marshall Islands Fiji Micronesia (Fed. States of) Tonga Samoa Tuvalu Kiribati Papua New Guinea Timor-Leste Nauru Solomon Islands Vanuatu 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Percentage of population aged 65 and over 2050 2020 Source: UNDESA 2022 4 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Aging and Urbanization The relationship between urbanization and aging is demonstrated by the fact that a growing proportion of older people reside in cities. In 2015, globally 58 percent of people over the age of 60 lived in urban areas, an increase of seven percent from 2000. For those aged 80 and over, 63 percent lived in cities in 2015. Figures 4 and 5 depict the relationship between aging and urbanization across the EAP region. Panel A shows the current (year 2020) correlation, while Panel B projects this relationship for 2050. The data for 2020 suggests that there is a correlation between the age of a population and the proportion residing in urban areas, but deviations were observed in some countries. However, as more countries experience urbanization and aging, this trend is expected to become more uniform, resulting in a stronger relationship between age and urbanization by 2050 across the EAP region. FIGURE 4. THE CONFLUENCE OF AGING AND URBANIZATION 100 Nauru China, Macao SAR Singapore China, Hong Kong SAR 2020 – PANEL A Guam Northern Mariana Islands Japan 90 100 Nauru Macao SAR China, Samoa American Singapore China, Hong Kong SAR New Zealand Australia Guam 80 Northern Mariana Islands Malaysia Brunei Darussalam Republic of Korea Japan 90 Malaysia Marshall Islands American Samoa New ZealandChina, Taiwan Australia New Caledonia (%) (%) 70 Mongolia Brunei Darussalam Malaysia Republic of Korea 80 Marshall Islands TuvaluMalaysia of Korea Dem. People's Rep.China, Taiwan urban population 60 China 70 French New Caledonia Polynesia Kiribati Mongolia Fiji Indonesia Tuvalu Rep. of Korea Dem. People'sThailand population 50 China 60 Philippines French Polynesia Kiribati Fiji Indonesia 40 Lao People's Dem. Republic Thailand 50 Vietnam of Philippines urban Share 30 Timor-Leste Myanmar 40 Vanuatu Lao People's Dem. Republic Cambodia Vietnam Share of Solomon Islands Tonga 20 30 Timor-Leste Micronesia (Fed. States of) Myanmar Samoa Vanuatu Cambodia Papua New Guinea 10 Solomon Islands Tonga 20 Micronesia (Fed. States of) Samoa 0 Papua New Guinea 10 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 Share of 65+ population (%) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Share of 65+ population (%) 2050 – PANEL B China, Macao SAR 100 Nauru Northern Mariana Islands Singapore China, Hong Kong SAR Australia Japan 90 American Samoa New Zealand China, Macao SAR 100 Nauru Palau Malaysia China, Taiwan Singapore Hong China, of Republic Kong SAR Korea Marshall Islands Brunei Darussalam Northern Mariana Islands Australia Japan 80 American Samoa New Caledonia New Zealand China 90 Tuvalu Palau Mongolia Malaysia China, Taiwan Republic of Korea Marshall Islands Brunei Darussalam Dem. People's Rep. of Korea (%) (%) Indonesia 70 Kiribati Fiji New Caledonia French Polynesia ChinaThailand 80 Tuvalu Mongolia urban population Philippines Indonesia Dem. People's Rep. of Korea 60 70 Kiribati French Polynesia Fiji Thailand Vietnam Lao People's Dem. Republic population 50 60 Philippines Myanmar Vietnam Timor-Leste Lao People's Dem. Republic 40 Cambodia of 50 urban Solomon Islands Share Vanuatu Myanmar Timor-Leste Micronesia (Fed. States of) 30 40 Tonga Cambodia Share of Solomon Islands Vanuatu Papua New Guinea 20 SamoaMicronesia (Fed. States of) 30 Tonga Papua New Guinea 10 20 Samoa 0 10 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 0 Share of 65+ population (%) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 Source: UNDESA 2022 Share of 65+ population (%) 5 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER As demonstrated by figure 4, countries can be grouped across three categories. The first group, including Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Japan is highly urbanized and has a high proportion of their population aged 65 and over. The demographic shift towards an aging population is primarily a challenge faced in urban areas and has been a long standing one. They have developed innovative approaches to cater to their aging populations and maintain age-readiness. These countries serve as models for others facing similar challenges, offering valuable insight into the opportunities and challenges of aging in urban areas. The second group of countries, located in the bottom left quadrant of Panel A in figure 4, including many in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and some Pacific Island states, have low levels of urbanization and aging today but are expected to experience both aging and urbanization concurrently. This presents an opportunity for these countries to invest early in age-ready urban infrastructure. A third group, located in the top left quadrant of panel A in figures 4 and 5, are characterized by a combination of high urbanization and a relatively young population. This group includes countries from the ASEAN region, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as a few Pacific Island states. In comparison to their level of urbanization, their median age is low. The priorities for this group will center around retrofitting, adapting, and redesigning their urban areas to better accommodate their aging population as it grows. These countries have the advantage of being able to plan for the challenges that will accompany their aging population in the future. Thammanoon Khamchalee / Shutterstock 6 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER FIGURE 5. MEDIAN AGE OF THE POPULATION IS RISING WITH THE SHARE OF POPULATION IN URBAN AREAS 2020 – PANEL A Singapore 100 China, Hong Kong SAR Nauru China, Macao SAR Singapore China, Hong Kong SAR 100 China, Hong Kong SAR Nauru China, Macao SAR China, Hong Kong SAR Guam Northern Mariana Islands Guam Northern Mariana Islands Japan 90 New Zealand Japan 90 American Samoa Australia New Zealand American Samoa Australia Brunei Darussalam Palau Republic of Korea 80 Palau Taiwan of Korea Republic 80 Marshall Islands Brunei Darussalam Malaysia China, China, Taiwan Marshall Islands Malaysia New Caledonia New Caledonia (%) 70 population(%) 70 Mongolia Mongolia Tuvalu French Polynesia Tuvalu French Polynesia China population 60 China Rep. of Korea Dem. People's 60 Fiji Dem. People's Rep. of Korea Kiribati Fiji Indonesia Kiribati Indonesia 50 Thailand 50 Thailand Philippines urban Philippines urban 40 40 Vietnam Lao People's Dem. Republic of Lao People's Dem. Republic Vietnam Shareof Timor-Leste Myanmar Share 30 Timor-Leste Myanmar 30 Solomon Islands Vanuatu Cambodia Solomon Islands Vanuatu Cambodia 20 Tonga Micronesia (Fed. States of) 20 Tonga SamoaMicronesia (Fed. States of) Samoa Papua New Guinea 10 Papua New Guinea 10 0 00 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Median age of population Median age of population 2050 – PANEL B Singapore 100 Nauru Guam China, Macao SAR Singapore China, Hong Kong SAR 100 Nauru China, Macao SAR China, Hong Kong SAR Northern Mariana Islands Guam Australia Japan Northern Islands Mariana Samoa American Australia Japan 90 American Samoa Palau New Zealand China, Taiwan 90 Palau Malaysia China, Taiwan Marshall Islands Malaysia New Zealand Marshall Islands Brunei Darussalam Republic of Korea Brunei New CaledoniaDarussalam Republic of Korea 80 New Caledonia China 80 Tuvalu Mongolia China Tuvalu Mongolia Indonesia Dem. People's Rep. of Korea (%) Dem. People's Rep. of Korea Kiribati Indonesia population(%) 70 Fiji Thailand 70 Kiribati Fiji French Polynesia Thailand French Polynesia population 60 Philippines 60 Philippines Vietnam Vietnam Lao People's Dem. Republic 50 Lao People's Dem. Republic urban 50 urban Myanmar Myanmar Timor-Leste Timor-Leste Cambodia 40 of 40 Cambodia of Solomon Islands Share Solomon Islands Vanuatu Share Vanuatu Micronesia (Fed. States of) 30 Tonga Micronesia (Fed. States of) 30 Tonga Papua New Guinea 20 Samoa Papua New Guinea 20 Samoa 10 10 0 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Median age of population Median age of population Source: UNDESA 2022 In conclusion, aging and urbanization are expected to escalate in most countries in the coming decades, posing significant challenges to the age-readiness of their urban environments. This trend is characterized by urbanization rates projected to surpass 20 percent and, in some cases, exceed 50 percent, and the proportion of the older population expected to surpass 10 percent in over half of all countries. 7 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Aging across Income Levels Figure 6 shows that high-income regions are at varying stages of aging, with some having a high proportion of people aged 65 and over and others, such as Pacific Island states, having a lower percentage. Japan is an outlier even among high-income countries, with almost 30 percent of its population aged 65 and over. As previously mentioned, places like Republic of Korea and Hong Kong SAR China are likely to catch up in the near future. This variation emphasizes the need for different aging interventions in these countries, including immediate, mid-term, and long-term measures. Upper-middle-income countries also vary in their aging population, with most having 4-14 percent of people aged 65 and over. The aging population in lower-middle income countries in the region is more uniform and similarly distributed, with all currently below 10 percent. FIGURE 6. AGING POPULATIONS BY COUNTRY INCOME GROUP IN 20202 35 30 Percentage of population 65+ 25 20 15 10 5 0 High income Upper middle income Lower middle income Country income group Source: UNDESA 2022, World Bank The impact of aging across income levels is a crucial factor to consider in policymaking. Historically, the conventional assumption was that high-income countries experienced aging as a result of improved living standards, leading to decreased fertility and increased life expectancy (Lee et al. 2010). However, this is no longer the case, as many countries are aging before they become wealthy, such as Vietnam and Indonesia. Figure 7 illustrates the projected population of individuals aged 65 and above, based on the income level of the country. It highlights that less developed countries will experience aging at a quicker pace than developed countries, but with less established infrastructure and weaker social protection systems, such as pension and social security benefits. Despite this challenge, these countries have the advantage of being able to learn from countries that have extensive experience with adapting to aging societies. 8 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER FIGURE 7. POPULATION PROJECTIONS OF OLDER PERSONS BY INCOME GROUP, 2020 - 2100 40 35 Percentage of population years and above 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Average of 2020 Average of 2030 Average of 2050 Average of 2100 Year High income Upper middle income Lower middle income Source: UNDESA 2022 Who are Older Persons? It is important to understand the diverse socio-economic characteristics of older persons. Characteristics such as demographic information, income sources, and mobility play a role in determining the design and demand for age-appropriate infrastructure and services. To illustrate, older women tend to live longer than men in most parts of the world, and consequently, countries are turning older, more urban, and more female. As figure 8 illustrates, with the exception for Australia, the top five aging countries in the region have more women than men among their older populations. This has implications for their safety, poverty rates, and property rights. For example, in countries where women do not have secure property rights, older women who outlive their husbands are at risk of losing their homes following the loss of their husbands. It is also important to highlight that the burden of caring for older adults often falls disproportionately on women and will continue to increase as the aging population grows, leading to negative consequences for their well-being and economic outcomes. 9 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER FIGURE 8. FEMALE-MALE RATIO OF OLDER PERSONS IN TOP FIVE AGING COUNTRIES IN THE REGION 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Japan China, Australia Republic of New Zealand Hong Kong SAR Korea 65+ Male population (2020) 65+ Female population Source: UNDESA 2022 Additionally, older people in some countries may have access to pensions and financial means to support themselves and generate demand for products and services, while in others they may be at risk of poverty and lacking access to services. Furthermore, along with poverty and economic status, living arrangements also impact the needs of older adults for housing, transportation, and services. The contrast between low- income older persons living in inadequate housing in informal settlements, with limited access to services, and wealthy older adults residing is stark. Household composition also has significant impact on prospective policy. In some countries, older adults live with their children or extended families, while in others they live alone or with spouses. For instance, in the Republic of Korea, about 60 percent of individuals aged 65 and over live alone or with their spouse, while in Thailand, around 50 percent live with their extended families. In some Pacific Island states such as Samoa, Kiribati, and Tuvalu, between 73 percent to 80 percent of the population live with their extended families (UNDESA 2022). BOX 1. SOCIOECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OLDER PERSONS IN SEOUL Seoul faces a significant challenge in addressing the needs of its aging population, particularly those living alone or in low-income families. In 2015, one in every five senior citizens lived alone, and a quarter of seniors were of low socioeconomic status. Although over a third of older Seoul residents had income-generating employment in 2018, many held low-income and unstable jobs, with an average monthly income of 1.5 million won. The majority of older workers had taken jobs that were extensions of their previous ones, and over 64 percent of older persons regarded their standard of living as low. The poverty rate among older Koreans is high compared to other age groups in OECD countries, and older single-person households are particularly vulnerable. These challenges are compounded by factors such as marginalization, lack of education, health care, and employment opportunities, which contribute to low-income people being concentrated in certain areas and separated from higher-income groups. Addressing these issues will be critical for making Seoul an age-ready city and improving the well-being of its older citizens (Kang 2022). 10 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER With the increasing aging population globally, the demand for care work will increase and, without proper policy and program intervention, women and immigrant workers will continue to bear the burden. This will have significant negative impacts on the well-being of caregivers and their ability to participate equally in paid work, resulting in unequal economic outcomes and perpetuating gender inequality (Razavi 2017). Overall, poverty, inequality, and aging are complex and interconnected issues that need to be addressed through active policy and programmatic interventions to ensure that older people can live with dignity and equality. BOX 2. GATHERING DATA TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY IN INDONESIAN CITIES (UN-HABITAT 2022) UNESCO has collaborated with local governments in Indonesia through the Network of Mayors for Inclusive Cities to enhance accessibility for persons with disabilities in urban areas. In partnership with Kota Kita, local civil society organization Kaki Kota Banjarmasin, and the municipal government, UNESCO conducted a pilot project to obtain a comprehensive profile of the city by surveying nearly 4,000 residents with disabilities. The study recommended several improvements in schools, public spaces, and other areas to guide the city in its efforts to improve accessibility. The initiative in Banjarmasin highlights the value of rigorous, participatory data collection as a tool for creating more disability-inclusive cities. The data collected helped the local government target assistance more effectively in response to COVID-19 and was also utilized in January 2021 to develop an emergency response for vulnerable residents affected by flooding. Building Age-Ready Cities To be considered age-ready, a city needs to be adaptive, productive, and inclusive. FIGURE 9. ATTRIBUTES OF AGE-READY CITIES Transforming or repurposing existing infrastructure ADAPTIVE Creating incentives Enhancing the ability, and developing opportunity and dignity partnerships to PRODUCTIVE INCLUSIVE of older persons to take attract private part in the economy investment and and society innovation Source: World Bank 11 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER An adaptive city repurposes existing infrastructure to meet demand from population aging and a new demographic structure. In Japan, for example, school buildings were converted into community centers as the number of school-age children decreased and the proportion of older persons increased (Yuen 2021a). This adaptability requires universal accessibility and flexible design approaches to the built environment, often through retrofitting, repurposing, and redesigning public infrastructure and housing. Urban infrastructure should ideally be built with inclusive design principles and to serve all residents, but when it is not feasible, cities can add universal design features through renovations and repairs and “build back better”, despite having budgetary implications. A productive city fosters innovation and provides incentives for industry leaders and entrepreneurs to create goods and services for older people. They represent a growing market, and cities can tap into this “silver economy” (European Commission 2018) or “longevity economy” (AARP 2021; Coughlin 2017) creating a business-friendly environment that attracts investment and drives innovation in the silver economy. BOX 3. LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR AGE-READINESS IN SINGAPORE Singapore has become a living laboratory for AI and digital technologies, with the government spending S$3.8 billion on digital transformation. One of the key projects is the Smart Nation Sensor Platform, which tests and implements smart technology in public housing. Four areas have been identified for implementation: smart planning, smart environment, smart estate, and smart living. The goal is to create a continuum of community and social elder care, where the aging population can continue living independently at home with greater care and connection. However, concerns about data security and personal privacy have been raised, and some older Singaporeans may not be ready to accept and use these technologies (Yuen 2022a). An inclusive city improves the ability, opportunity, and dignity of the elderly and disadvantaged groups to participate fully in society. This involves working toward inclusion within the spatial, social, and economic dimensions, requiring investments in data and analysis, consultation with a wide range of residents, and policy and program changes to address the needs of older persons. BOX 4. AGED CARE POLICIES IN MALAYSIA In Malaysia, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and the Ministry of Health have been formulating strategic aging frameworks and aged care policies since the mid- 1990s. The government has made progress in establishing an inclusive aged care system through a range of policies, plans, and laws, including the Private Aged Healthcare Facilities and Services Act passed in 2018. The government has provided institutional care through care homes and nursing homes, as well as introduced home help services, activity centers, and transport services for older persons. However, the aged care system is still fragmented, with responsibilities for financing and providing care shared among the federal government, state governments, and local authorities (World Bank 2020). 12 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER These actions that make a city age-ready are overlapping and complementary. For example, universal design is adaptive as it creates spaces and environments that accommodate the needs and abilities of diverse users, enhances productivity by enabling more people to engage in education or employment, and is inclusive because it is usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible. Furthermore, drawing from the WHO Age-Friendly Cities framework, age-ready cities need to prioritize actions across six areas: universal design, housing solutions, multigenerational spaces, enhancing the physical mobility of older persons, use of technology, and advancing inclusion and partnerships (WHO 2007, 9). A table providing illustrative actions under each of these areas is provided in annex 1. FIGURE 10. SIX ACTION AREAS TO ENHANCE AGE-READINESS IN CITIES Age-readiness through improved Efficient spatial transportation Making forms technology work for age- readiness Creating multigenerational Universal “spaces” toward design toward age-readiness age-readiness Housing solutions for age-readiness Alexzel / Shutterstock Source: World Bank 13 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Universal Design toward Age-Readiness Universal design promotes the creation of products and environments that are accessible and usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. It is a broader concept than universal accessibility, which focuses on complying with regulations or criteria to meet minimum design standards for only people with disabilities (Preiser and Ostroff 2001). In urban areas, this approach can help to address the challenges that people with mobility, cognitive, hearing, or vision impairments face when trying to access resources and services. These challenges may include poorly maintained sidewalks, lack of elevators in multi-story buildings, and signage that is difficult to read. To promote universal design, the United Nations has identified seven principles that designers and planners can use as a guide: equitable use, flexibility in use, simple and intuitive design, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use. By adhering to these principles, designers can create spaces that are more inclusive and provide equitable access to all individuals. BOX 5. CREATING AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES IN CHINA The National Health Commission (National Office on Aging) in China plans to create 5,000 age-friendly communities across the country by 2025, and achieve full coverage of such communities in both urban and rural areas by 2035. The objective is to improve community services and facilities to meet the needs of the elderly in terms of living environment, daily travel, health services, elderly care services, social participation, and spiritual and cultural life. The plan includes improving the living environment and safety of the elderly, facilitating their daily travel through barrier-free facilities and iconic design, improving the quality of services for the elderly, expanding their social participation, enriching their spiritual and cultural life, and improving the technological level of serving the elderly. The plan also includes regular visits to the elderly living alone, empty nesters, left behind, disabled (including dementia), severely disabled, and family planning special families (National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China 2020). Improving the accessibility of the built environment benefits all individuals, not just those with functional limitations. The experience of the user is central to good design, and small changes to the built environment can make a big difference in creating an inclusive society. For example, in addition to accommodating the accessibility needs of older persons, designers must also consider the mobility limitations related to hearing, sight, or cognitive ability, or a combination of these, of older persons. These needs may include factors such as good acoustics and noise control, which can be addressed through design elements such as those set out in Laszlo’s Principles of Design for Hard of Hearing Access proposed by the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association. The World Bank has also incorporated universal design principles into projects in the EAP region. For example, railway projects in China have implemented universal design principles to create accessible transportation for older persons and those with disabilities. Box 6 offers an overview into how universal design principles have been integrated into various World Bank projects in Indonesia and Vietnam. 14 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER BOX 6. WORLD BANK PROJECTS INCORPORATING UNIVERSAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES The Vietnam Scaling up Urban Upgrading Project (SUUP) worked in seven cities in the Mekong Delta and was one of the first innovative urban development projects that supported the incorporation of universal accessibility (UA) principles in the design of infrastructure investments that the project financed. The process started with a baseline study to understand the conditions of the beneficiaries, including the disabled but also the elderly, then followed by a series of technical inputs to feasibility studies and detailed engineering designs to incorporate UA, development of a country-specific guideline for UA, followed by a training session for national and local governments for future scale-up as a national program. The Central Sulawesi Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Project (CSRRP) in Indonesia incorporates universal accessibility principles starting from the project’s design, which introduces a specific key performance indicator (KPI) for ensuring the accessibility of public buildings, complemented by a series of accessibility checklists for monitoring purposes. Throughout the project’s implementation, the incorporation of accessibility features was maintained through a joint technical review process in the design phase of infrastructures and facilities. In addition, vulnerable groups are given first priority in selecting new house parcels. The process’ results are observable, for example, in application of tactile paving across the project’s reconstructed settlements, standards-compliant access ramps, and accessible fittings in the bathrooms and general areas of public buildings constructed by the project.  Considering the high frequency of disasters in Indonesia, mainstreaming these principles in Central Sulawesi’s disaster-recovery effort could serve as a model case for other recovery efforts across the country – potentially contributing to the country’s larger goals of achieving a socially inclusive and more resilient urban environment. The Indonesia National Slum Upgrading Project (NSUP, KOTAKU) provided direct and hands- on support to mainstream universal accessibility for 43 kelurahans (urban wards) with complex/ challenging slum conditions located in 15 cities. Currently, national-level scale up is planned to have over 2,500 kelurahans participating in the project. The suite of offerings as a UA package includes: technical design guidelines on universal accessibility, guidance on disability inclusion at community-level planning and data collection, cost benefit analysis of universal accessibility, a series of hands-on training for community facilitators as well as national and subnational level officials coined as Coaching Clinics. Encouragingly, the adoption of universal design principles in cities and countries worldwide has gained momentum in recent years. For instance, Singapore enacted the Code of Accessibility in the Built Environment in 2007, which expanded the mandate to newly built public spaces and raised minimum standards. However, to successfully implement these policies, it is crucial to train key stakeholders such as urban planners, architects, and construction engineers in the fundamentals of accessibility and updated designs. 15 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER BOX 7. UNIVERSAL DESIGN IN JAPAN In 1995, the Japanese Ministry of Construction released the Design Guidelines for Dwellings for the Ageing Society, which recommended age-friendly, energy-efficient, and durable housing design principles. The guidelines included the removal of level differences within dwellings, installation of handrails, and widening of corridors and doorways to accommodate wheelchairs. While implementation was not mandatory, incentives were provided by public organizations such as the Housing Loan Corporation of Japan and the National Pension Fund to encourage adoption of these guidelines. By 1999, more than half of Housing Loan Corporation clients had incorporated age-friendly design concepts. However, in 2010, less than half of surveyed private housing was found to be appropriately equipped with age-friendly features for older occupants, and only a small portion of available rental housing was barrier-free. The promotion of barrier- free modifications to existing housing remains important but difficult, and local government grant programs have been supporting home modification. Financial assistance of up to 200,000 yen for home modifications has been available since 2000 to those eligible for long- term care assistance under the Long-Term Care Insurance System. However, self-supporting older persons who do not need or are ineligible for long-term care cannot receive financial assistance under this system (Yuen 2022b). Cities must also consider the increasing risk of climate-related hazards like the urban heat island effect due to rising global temperatures, which poses a greater risk of morbidity and mortality to older persons. For instance, mapping heat islands and predicting hotspots can assist cities in designing both mitigation and adaptation strategies (Park et al. 2021). Lastly, building safe, age-ready neighborhoods requires inclusive emergency preparedness, response, and recovery efforts that involve older persons. Learning from aging cities that have successfully combated natural hazards can be valuable for other emergencies, such as pandemics. For example, community hubs in Japan have served as evacuation centers and training sites overseen by elderly individuals who impart their knowledge and insights from past disasters (Ibasho, n.d.). BOX 8. URBAN ACCESSIBILITY IN BEIJING Beijing made significant efforts to improve accessibility for vulnerable groups in preparation for the Winter Paralympic Games 2022. Over the course of a 3-year plan, the city has installed barrier-free facilities in 336,000 locations, created 100 wheelchair-accessible streets and blocks, and established 100 “convenient life circles” with essential services available within 15 minutes of residents’ homes. This initiative has focused on improving the accessibility of tactile paving, sidewalks, government service centers, residential areas, and other everyday necessities for vulnerable groups. Additionally, the city has equipped subway stations with stair climbers and vertical platform lifts, and over 12,000 buses have been fitted with wheelchair-accessible facilities, including barrier- free ramps, call buttons, and seat belts. These efforts have enabled more elderly and disabled people to travel independently (Du 2022). 16 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Housing Solutions for Age-Readiness To enable older persons to lead independent, safe, and dignified lives, it is crucial to adapt homes and other living spaces they inhabit to suit their physical and cognitive needs, regardless of their living arrangements. In countries and cities where older persons co-reside with family members, they often have greater support. Although, even in these situations, older persons may face challenges due to lack of accessibility or living conditions that are not conducive to their well-being, especially if they belong to lower-income households. In societies where older persons live alone, such as in OECD countries, the decision often comes down to choosing between independent living, also known as “aging in place,” or moving to institutional settings. However, while retrofitting one’s home may require capital costs, institutional care typically proves to be more expensive for individuals, their families, and the state (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 2013). However, due to limited housing alternatives, many older persons may move into nursing homes and other institutional care settings earlier than necessary, often against their wishes. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a reassessment of the role of nursing homes and institutional care for the elderly. In developed countries, aging in place has emerged as the preferred approach for housing older adults, recognized for its social and economic advantages. However, for aging in place to be effective, urban areas must prioritize services, housing standards, and public space accessibility. Universal accessibility in housing must be prioritized, transportation needs to be accessible, and other essential services like health, personal care, and shopping should be both available and affordable. In developed housing markets, financially capable older individuals are willing to pay extra for accessible housing over traditional housing. To illustrate, a study conducted in Korea revealed that more than half of the 700 respondents expressed a willingness to pay a premium, indicating a significant private market demand for accessible housing. However, while some older persons have the means to decide between aging in place and relocating to an institutional care setting, others may not have that luxury or may live in cities with limited options. As a result, many must face the challenge of securing affordable housing (Molinsky and Airgood-Obrycki 2018). BOX 9. FACILITATING ACCESS TO AGE-FRIENDLY RENTAL HOUSING IN JAPAN According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 17 percent of poor households in Japan spend more than 40 percent of their income on housing costs, which is a significant financial burden, especially for older people. The Japanese government has enacted the Act on Securement of Stable Supply of Elderly Persons’ Housing to encourage private owners of rental housing to accept older tenants and to increase the availability of barrier- free rental housing for older people. The Act requires properties to have appropriate barrier- free features for older people with reduced capabilities and proposes Design Guidelines as a standard to judge the age-friendliness of housing units. The government also seeks to address landlord concerns by guaranteeing rents for older tenants. However, the success of this scheme has been limited due to unsuitable layouts and the costs of installing barrier-free features. The Act was revised in 2011 to increase the supply of affordable rental housing that is barrier-free and offers nursing and care services to older people (Yuen 2022b). 17 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Governments at all levels in various parts of the world are taking measures to improve housing conditions for older individuals. For example, Japan’s local governments have implemented home modification support programs that offer grants to homeowners for universal accessibility, while grassroots organizations like Singapore’s PA Active Ageing Council (AA Council) promote community networks, offer advocacy and education, and foster employment opportunities for older adults. Mixing It Up: Creating Multigenerational “Spaces” toward Age-Readiness Older persons often experience isolation and exclusion from society due to lack of access to facilities and services, or because of the belief that they are safest when confined to their homes. While physical spaces like residential facilities or daycare centers are often designated for older persons, they can reinforce social exclusion and isolation. Multigenerational spaces are becoming increasingly popular, spanning from innovating housing solutions to recreational facilities, public amenities, and community groups. These spaces play a crucial role in fostering an adaptable, productive, and inclusive age- friendly urban environment. Cities like Seoul are incorporating policies that allow for intergenerational interaction in housing and public infrastructure facilities used by older persons, while China has used parks to promote active aging and foster intergenerational connections. The One-Roof Multigeneration Homes Program in Korea encourages older persons living near universities to lease out rooms to students at affordable prices, promoting mixed-generation living arrangements. Local communities, such as Vietnam’s Intergenerational Self-Help Clubs and Shanghai’s Old Partner Program, are also active in creating multigenerational spaces. BOX 10. SEOUL’S EFFORTS TOWARDS CREATING AN AGE FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT The Seoul metropolitan government is working on creating age-friendly communities by improving the physical environment, communication, and social awareness of older persons. They have made improvements such as increasing pedestrian safety, creating barrier-free environments, and providing street benches. Programs such as senior homes, aged classrooms, and aged welfare centers are available for older persons to participate in leisure and learning activities, and use of these facilities varies slightly by age group. The government is also supporting the development of age-friendly shops, such as the “Age-Friendly Street” project that provides variations of retail businesses to accommodate physical and emotional needs of older persons. This project has had a positive impact on the image of the community and the life satisfaction of local residents in their old age. Seoul’s Aging Society Master Plan also aims to improve society’s perception of older persons and promote intergenerational exchange. The government has implemented various projects to support older individuals and groups, such as residence sharing, generation-linking activities, and one-roof multigeneration homes. Additionally, the government has established the Second- Round Job Support Center to prepare for the aging baby boomer generation and promote their professional involvement in social activities. Finally, the government is supporting club activities for older persons, including sports, arts, and music (Kang 2022). 18 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Getting Around: Age-Readiness through Improved Transportation Improving urban mobility and accessibility is crucial for the well-being of all residents, including older persons. The ability to get around their city is essential for meeting basic needs, working, engaging in recreation, socializing, and accessing services. Inaccessible environments can lead to exclusion from the labor market, education, and recreation, resulting in significant opportunity costs. To promote urban development priorities, such as reducing congestion and air and noise pollution, improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, and enhancing health, cities need to enhance mobility and the accessibility of public transportation for older persons. By doing so, they can also benefit all residents. For example, as people use public transportation more and depend on cars less, cities can experience reduced congestion and air and noise pollution. Additionally, reallocating road space for walking and cycling can lead to improved safety and health outcomes. BOX 11. BUILDING CAPACITIES FOR TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES TO ENHANCE A UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK – VIETNAM The Australian Government’s Aus4Transport initiative is partnering with the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport to introduce the concept of universal design in Vietnam’s transport infrastructure. The initiative aims to change attitudes and assist local transport agencies in planning and designing for accessible transport infrastructure through training, technical and financial assistance. The activity aims to improve knowledge, change attitudes, and encourage collaboration between transport agencies and civil society in regard to accessible transport, while supporting sustainable growth of Vietnam’s transport infrastructure sector, contributing to economic development and poverty alleviation. The initiative focuses on building capacity that assists transport agencies to effectively implement transport accessibility laws and regulations, recommend improvements, and ensure the application of best practices (Aus4Transport n.d.). Travel patterns of older persons are often unique, and factors such as socioeconomic status and gender can influence these patterns. Women, in particular, are less likely to drive or own cars as they grow older, leading to different mobility patterns than men of the same age. Understanding these patterns and behaviors is crucial in forecasting transportation and public space usage, establishing fare structures, distributing transportation vouchers, and crafting other supportive initiatives. To ensure that cities are age-ready and promote independent living among their older residents and persons with disabilities, they need to adapt their public spaces and transportation options. Comprehending the obstacles associated with using urban infrastructure and services, including challenges related to accessing transit stations or boarding or disembarking from transportation, can aid in alleviating these barriers. 19 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER BOX 12. CITY HEALTH AND WELLBEING INITIATIVE IN UDON THANI, THAILAND (UN-HABITAT 2022; ADELINA AND ARCHER 2021) The City Health and Wellbeing Initiative, run by the Stockholm Environment Institute, aimed to improve the urban environment of Udon Thani, Thailand, by using innovative community- based data collection methods. The project employed participatory techniques, such as mental mapping and citizen-led photography, to encourage residents to examine issues related to access to green spaces, adequate pavements, and potential hazards like poorly managed traffic and low-hanging electric cables. Cars speeding on roads without pavements or low-hanging cables near the pavements pose significant risks to pedestrians, especially the elderly. The project’s research has highlighted numerous everyday issues like dust, the need for shaded walkways, and excessive smoke from food stalls that aren’t typically considered in top-down planning approaches. These findings are especially critical since Udon Thani’s public areas and parks are currently threatened by urbanization pressures and financial constraints. Fortunately, the municipality has shown a receptive attitude and is eager to incorporate these insights into its planning. If implemented successfully, this could result in a more accessible and livable urban environment that promotes healthy, physically active lifestyles and enhances overall well-being. Vision and Action towards Age-Readiness Drawing upon the experiences of cities that have made headway in addressing the challenges of urbanization and aging, The Silver Hues report outlines six key steps for cities to become age-ready: 1. Create a long-term vision that applies at national, subnational, and local levels, which recognizes the importance and centrality of age-readiness to future actions. Even cities that are not yet aging should start envisioning age-ready futures for themselves. 2. Investing in data and analysis is important to identify city-level demographic trends and understand the core needs of an age-ready city. Robust analyses are necessary for evidence-based policy actions, as data gathering alone is not sufficient. 3. Comprehensive consultations with all stakeholders, not just older persons, are essential to build a social contract and understand the needs of the community. This participatory process helps detect resistance and identify tradeoffs for investments in age-readiness, benefiting the design, sequencing, and implementation of reform actions. 4. Design actions towards age-readiness, which requires considering how aging issues will be mainstreamed into policy frameworks, whether special programs will be designed, how infrastructure will be adapted for universal accessibility, and the roles of various stakeholders in implementation. 20 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER 5. Put into place effective implementation arrangements, and restructure municipal- level institutions. This involves providing services, managing resources, and enforcing quality control mechanisms, which may be challenging but can make institutions more responsive to changing populations. 6. Mainstream age-readiness into monitoring and evaluation systems, using statistical and community monitoring mechanisms. Impact evaluations should be put in place at the start of a program, and cities should be flexible enough to make adjustments in response to monitoring and feedback from citizens. FIGURE 11. SIX STEPS TOWARDS AGE-READINESS 1 2 3 Undertake comprehensive Build a Invest in consultations, not just long-term data and with older persons vision analysis but with all city stakeholders 4 5 6 Put into place Mainstream Design implementation age-readiness in appropriate arrangements and monitoring and actions revamp institutions evaluation systems as needed Source: World Bank 21 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Vladimir Zhoga / Shutterstock Conclusion This note aims to provide an overview of the demographics of the EAP region and their implications for urban areas. Specifically, it highlights the fact that the region is aging rapidly, underscoring the need for age-readiness measures. To support age-readiness in cities, the note draws upon the Silver Hues report and presents recommendations in six key areas: universal design, housing solutions, multigenerational spaces, physical mobility, technology, and efficient spatial forms. However, it also acknowledges that different strategies are required to achieve age-readiness given the varying stages of aging across the EAP region. The first group, consisting primarily of OECD countries, has a high proportion of their population aged 65 and over and has developed innovative approaches to cater to their aging populations in urban areas. The second group, including some Pacific Island states and ASEAN countries, currently have low levels of urbanization and aging, but are expected to experience both concurrently, presenting an opportunity to invest in age-ready urban infrastructure. Lastly, the third group includes some ASEAN countries and Pacific Island states with high urbanization but relatively young populations, who must retrofit, adapt, and redesign their urban areas to better accommodate their aging population as it grows. While it is important to recognize that creating age-friendly cities requires context- specific approaches, countries in the region offer valuable examples and best practices that can inform government efforts. These frameworks provide a foundation for advancing age-friendly initiatives. As such, the EAP region presents a compelling case study for understanding the work that has been done, is currently underway, and needs to be done, particularly given the rapid aging of some countries and the relatively young populations of others. 22 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Annex 1 ILLUSTRATIVE ACTIONS ACROSS SIX THEMATIC AREAS THEMATIC AREAS ILLUSTRATIVE ACTIONS TO INFLUENCE ILLUSTRATIVE ACTIONS TO INFLUENCE POLICIES AND INSTITUTIONS IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES Universal design Prepare building codes and Actively involve older persons toward age- regulations and encourage their as partners in the process of readiness application not only to new buildings building resilience to disasters and public spaces but also to (e.g., community hubs doubling reconstruction and retrofitting of as evacuation centers; sites for existing ones (e.g., accessible lifts preparation trainings; consultations for multistory buildings; accessible led by older persons who share their sidewalks to enhance safety and experiences and lessons learned usability of streets; accessibility from previous disasters). features, such as handrails in bathrooms). Housing Consider home modification support Support aging in place where this solutions for programs at local government levels choice is possible, paying adequate age-readiness that provide grants to homeowners attention to services, housing for making housing spaces quality, and access to public spaces universally accessible. (e.g., universally accessible homes; accessibility for older persons Encourage grassroots-level to meet needs regarding health, support for people to age in place personal care, and shopping at comfortably and stay active (e.g., affordable prices). promoting community bonding and networks; providing advocacy and Seek fiscal support from national education for the employment of or subnational governments for the older persons). provision of community- and home- based care services to older persons Create conditions for private sector as part of older person support expansions in the housing sector. programs. Creating Incorporate policies that allow Avoid designating segregated multigenerational for intergenerational interaction in physical spaces specifically for “spaces” housing and public infrastructure older persons (e.g., residential toward age- facilities. facilities; daycare centers), which readiness can reinforce social exclusion and Put into place programs that create isolation. (Designated facilities incentives for mixed-generation are needed, however, for those living arrangements, and consider physically unable to function without tax incentives for multigenerational continuous medical and other care.) living. Utilize parks to encourage active Encourage self-help groups of older aging across the life course, enhance people. social interactions, and foster intergenerational connections. 23 SILVER HUES: BUILDING AGE-READY CITIES EAP REGIONAL PAPER Age-readiness Seek to understand mobility patterns Identify barriers to utilizing city through improved and behaviors of older persons to infrastructure and services and transportation predict usage of transportation and prioritize adaptation strategies public spaces, as well as for creating (e.g., getting to and from transit policies, such as those for fare stations; waiting for, boarding, and setting, provision of transportation alighting from vehicles; access to vouchers, and creation of other and within buildings; narrow facilitating programs. entryways; inaccessible toilets, especially in high traffic spaces or Provide incentives to local spaces frequented by older persons). public administrations to plan for sustainable mobility (e.g., Adopt accessibility features replacement of old public for public transportation (e.g., transportation vehicles with more level boarding and spaces for efficient and adapted buses, wheelchairs; wide entranceways trolley buses, and trams; street without turnstiles; accessible toilets; refurbishment and modernization). wayfinding signage; provision of transportation information in various languages and formats). Making Introduce telemedicine that Deploy cyber protection programs technology provides a variety of services to enhance cyberliteracy and the work for age- (e.g., consultations with doctors ability of older persons to navigate readiness and diagnosis; prescriptions; technology. disease management and other follow-up services) and can Utilize digital technology for service partner with pharmacy chains, delivery to older persons with network infrastructure providers, mobility impairments. and assistive smart home care companies to reduce the pressure Boost digital skills of older persons. on the nation’s overall health care system. Encourage innovation and entrepreneurship for technology solutions targeted to older people. Efficient spatial Encourage transit-oriented Connect residents to services and forms development to create compact amenities through mass transit and mixed-use neighborhoods that by locating housing near public are walkable and highly connected transportation corridors. by public transportation, reducing dependency on cars and offering a potential solution to mobility challenges faced by many older adults. Ensure that older persons benefit from the compactness. 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