What Makes a
Community Age-Friendly?
Some Research Findings
Verena Menec, PhD
Director, Centre on Aging
Canada Research Chair in Healthy Aging
University of Manitoba
Age-Friendly Cities/Communities
Projects: Research Methods
Discussion groups with:
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Older adults (60-74 versus 75+ years old,
ensuring mix of: gender, income, and disabilities)
Caregivers of older adults
Service providers
Age-Friendly Cities/Communities
Projects: Research Methods
Focus on:
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Age-friendly features
Barriers
Suggestions
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Outdoor spaces and
buildings
Transportation
Housing
Respect and Social Inclusion
Social Participation
Communication and
Information
Civic Participation and
Employment
Community Support and
Health Services
Examples of Questions
What is it like to live in [Winnipeg] as an
older person?
 What is it like to step outside of your home
to go for a walk to get fresh air, run errands
or visit?
 What is the public transportation system
like in your community?
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Findings: Outdoor Spaces
Barriers:
 Lack of access to green space
 Lack of, broken, or brick sidewalks
 Snow and ice on sidewalks
 Safety concerns
Findings: Outdoor Spaces
“We’ve got great new paths all around the lake,
which they’ve just completed. The lights aren’t
hooked up yet, but it’s a marvelous place to
walk.” (Senior Focus Group)
“That walkway is very well. But with a scooter,
to get onto it, you can get on at 8th and then you
have to go down to, I don’t know how far that
way.” (Senior Focus Group)
Findings: Buildings
Barriers:
 Steps and stairs into buildings
 Inaccessible or poorly designed washrooms
(e.g., small stalls)
 Heavy (not “senior-friendly”) doors
 Lack of automatic doors
Findings: Buildings
“The mall at the west end, the doors there ...
you’ve got to be mighty, mighty careful to get
through the door in time or else it will whack
you. I have a big bruise on my arm from a door
whack because this door closed before I had time
to get through it.” (Seniors Focus Group)
Findings: Transportation
Barriers:
 Lack of flexibility in Handi-van services
(limited evening services and increased cost)
 Poorly designed loading zones
 Use of handicapped parking spots by nonhandicapped
Findings: Transportation
“My only complaint that I can put towards the
transportation here in Portage, is for somebody
like myself in a wheelchair, life stops at five
o’clock in the afternoon.”
(Seniors focus group)
Findings: Housing
Barriers:
 Limited housing options available to meet the
diverse needs of seniors
 Shortage of housing for low-income seniors
 Problems with subsidized housing (e.g., small
size of units, lack of caretaker, lack of
involvement in decision making)
Findings: Housing
“I’m very lucky, I live in a strictly senior type
home, it’s an individual home. It was designed
especially for seniors. There is no basement,
there are no stairs. All the hallways are wide, all
of the doorways are wide”
(Seniors Focus Group)
An Example of Universal Design
Next Steps
Age-Friendly
Communities
Community-University
Research Alliance
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$1 million, 5-year grant by the
Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council
of Canada
17 Partner Organizations; 9
university researchers
What Will We Do?
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Develop “age-friendliness” indicators
Assess how age-friendly communities are
Function as a resource
Find out how communities go
about becoming age-friendly
Measure success
Age-friendly communities support
people to age safely, enjoy good
health and to continue to participate
fully in their community.