Covid-19 and inequality: developing an age-friendly strategy for recovery in low income communities

Buffel, Tine; Doran, Patty; Goff, Mhorag; Lang, Luciana; Lewis, Camilla; Phillipson, Chris; Yarker, Sophie

doi:10.1108/qaoa-09-2020-0044

Cited by 29 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is a current example of disproportionately negative effects on the well-being of older adults of color, particularly those in low-income communities ( Buffel et al, 2020 ). Researchers should determine whether and to what extent the concept of AFCs captures current and ongoing pandemic-related inequities in terms of social and spatial justice ( Buffel et al, 2020 ; Martinez et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement Indicators of Age-Friendly Communities: Findings From the AARP Age-Friendly Community Survey

et al. 2021

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Background and Objectives Cities and counties worldwide have adopted the concept of “age-friendly communities.” These communities aspire to promote older adults’ well-being by providing a safe, affordable built environment and a social environment that encourages their participation. A major limitation in this field is the lack of valid and reliable measures that capture the complex dimensionality and dynamic nature of the aging-environment interface. Research Design and Methods This study uses data from the AARP 2016 Age-Friendly Community Surveys (N=3,652 adults ages 65 and older). The survey includes 62 indicators of age-friendliness, e g., outdoor spaces, transportation, housing, social participation, and community and health services. We randomly split the sample into two equal subsamples for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results CFA results indicated that both the five-factor model and the second-order factor model adequately fit the data. In the SEM five-factor model, outdoor space (β=.134; p=.017), social participation (β=.307; p<.001), and community and health services (β=-.149; p=.008) were associated with self-rated health, the outcome of interest. The path coefficients of housing and transportation were not significant. In the second-order factor model, people who lived in more age-friendly communities reported better self-rated health (β=.295; p<.001). Discussion and Implications Our findings show that the Age-Friendly Community Survey measures demonstrate reliability and concurrent validity. To promote older adults’ well-being, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers should focus on improving their built and social environments. They can use these measures for short- and long-term planning, monitoring, and evaluating age-friendly community initiatives.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement Indicators of Age-Friendly Communities: Findings From the AARP Age-Friendly Community Survey

et al. 2021

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“…As it continues to expand, measuring the progress of the age-friendly movement—and documenting the experience of participating cities—will be essential to demonstrate the benefits of the age-friendly approach, and directions for future policy and practice. Such activity will be especially important in a context of increasing pressure on local authority and municipal budgets given a combination of cuts to the funding of social programs and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in amplifying social inequalities [ 30 ]. However, it is precisely in this situation that the benefits of adopting an age-friendly approach may become apparent.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing Age-Friendly Cities and Communities: Eleven Case Studies from around the World

Rémillard-Boilard

Buffel

Phillipson

2020

IJERPH

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Developing age-friendly cities and communities has become a key part of policies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people in urban areas. The World Health Organization has been especially important in driving the ‘age-friendly’ agenda, notably through its Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, connecting 1114 (2020 figure) cities and communities worldwide. Despite the expansion and achievements of the Network over the last decade, little is known about the progress made by cities developing this work around the world. This article addresses this research gap by comparing the experience of eleven cities located in eleven countries. Using a multiple case study approach, the study explores the key goals, achievements, and challenges faced by local age-friendly programs and identifies four priorities the age-friendly movement should consider to further its development: (1) changing the perception of older age; (2) involving key actors in age-friendly efforts; (3) responding to the (diverse) needs of older people; and (4) improving the planning and delivery of age-friendly programs. The article concludes by discussing the research and policy implications of these findings for the age-friendly movement.

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“…Yet the pandemic provides an opportunity to engage in a radical rethink about the future shape of cities and communities, especially given changing demographics and work patterns (Buffel et al, 2020). This paper argues that recovery strategies need to focus on building back fairer cities and communities (Marmot et al, 2020), and that this will require embedding 'age-friendly' principles, based on a citizenship and rights-based narrative of ageing, and centred around values of equity, community empowerment and spatial justice.…”

Section: Locked Down By Inequality: Older People In Times Of Crisismentioning

confidence: 99%

Locked down by inequality: Older people and the COVID-19 pandemic

et al. 2021

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This paper develops the argument that post-COVID-19 recovery strategies need to focus on building back fairer cities and communities, and that this requires a strong embedding of ‘ age-friendly’ principles to support marginalised groups of older people, especially those living in deprived urban neighbourhoods, trapped in poor quality housing. It shows that older people living in such areas are likely to experience a ‘double lockdown’ as a result of restrictions imposed by social distancing combined with the intensification of social and spatial inequalities. This argument is presented as follows: first, the paper examines the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on older people, highlighting how the pandemic is both creating new and reinforcing existing inequalities in ageing along the lines of gender, class, ethnicity, race, ability and sexuality. Second, the paper explores the role of spatial inequalities in the context of COVID-19, highlighting how the pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on deprived urban areas already affected by cuts to public services, the loss of social infrastructure and pressures on the voluntary sector. Finally, the paper examines how interrelated social inequalities at both the individual and spatial level are affecting the lives of older people living in deprived urban neighbourhoods during the pandemic. The paper concludes by developing six principles for ‘age-friendly’ community recovery planning aimed at maintaining and improving the quality of life and wellbeing of older residents in the post-pandemic city.

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Covid-19 and inequality: developing an age-friendly strategy for recovery in low income communities

Cited by 29 publications

References 17 publications

Measurement Indicators of Age-Friendly Communities: Findings From the AARP Age-Friendly Community Survey

Measurement Indicators of Age-Friendly Communities: Findings From the AARP Age-Friendly Community Survey

Developing Age-Friendly Cities and Communities: Eleven Case Studies from around the World

Locked down by inequality: Older people and the COVID-19 pandemic

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