Author : Ramanath Jha

Expert Speak India Matters
Published on May 22, 2019
Cities have not adopted land use, zoning and fiscal policies that encourage and support development tailored to meet the housing and healthcare needs of senior citizens.
Senior citizens, cities and city planning

Two fundamental changes are simultaneously impacting large parts of the world.

On the one hand, we are undergoing ‘population ageing’ — a process by which “older individuals become a proportionately larger share of the total population.” This has resulted due to increasing longevity and declining birth rates. The share of senior citizens (60 years and above) is projected to grow from 901 million in 2015 to 1.4 billion in 2030 and 2.1 billion in 2050.

The share of senior citizens (60 years and above) is projected to grow from 901 million in 2015 to 1.4 billion in 2030 and 2.1 billion in 2050.

While population ageing was first experienced by the more developed countries, the process is catching up with the developing world. Coming forth, almost all countries are likely to experience this phenomenon, with varying intensity — and across different time s. It is estimated that within the next five decades, over 80 percent of the world’s older people will be residing in developing countries. India will be the youngest country in the world by 2020, but 20 percent of its population will be 60 years and above by 2050, up from eight percent in 2011.

It is estimated that within the next five decades, over 80 percent of the world’s older people will be residing in developing countries. India will be the youngest country in the world by 2020, but 20 percent of its population will be 60 years and above by 2050, up from eight percent in 2011.

On the other hand, urbanisation is pushing an ever-increasing number of people to cities. India’s total urban population in 2011 was 377.11 million. UN projections indicate that India will add another 416 million urbanites by 2050, making the total urban population to around 793 million. 20 percent of this population (approximately 160 million) will be the old, comprising the young-old (60-70 years), the middle-old (70-80 years) and the very old (above 80 years). The very old among these would be the fastest growing segment.

In the cited context, a profound concern is that while economic development has led to a healthier lifestyle — thereby increasing longevity — the fact that people will live in cities does not inspire confidence about the well-being of the old. Most outdoor spaces are not designed to suit older population. For instance, stairs, lighting, signage are not particularly aged-friendly. The walking environment is poor and often dangerous. Public facilities are difficult to access.

Public transportation is crowded, unreliable and mostly absent in many cities. Urban housing is largely unaffordable. Moreover, cities have not adopted land use, zoning and fiscal policies that encourage and support development tailored to meet the housing and healthcare needs of senior citizens. The older generations are not computer literate. As a result, high victim rate from information fraud is observed with the aged. Medication is also not affordable. To make the situation worse, high traffic density, less walking tracks and reduced open spaces in cities do not support safe and healthy living. It is established that conducive urban environments positively sway well-being. These, unfortunately, are conspicuous by their absence in most Indian cities.

Most outdoor spaces are not designed to suit older population. For instance, stairs, lighting, signage are not particularly aged-friendly...cities have not adopted land use, zoning and fiscal policies that encourage and support development tailored to meet the housing and healthcare needs of senior citizens.

Given these harsh realities, cities need to wake up to the fact that the age profile of citizens will undergo a change and cities would require to care for more and more old people. Furthermore, ‘conscientious cities’ will have to adopt policies that adhere to the needs of senior citizens.

Several multinational organisations are recognising this issue. For instance, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has introduced, “An age-friendly city encourages active ageing by optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security.” Given that seniority is taken to start at 60, around one-third of the aged population can be expected to be fit for a reasonably active life. The ideal situation would be that the elders will continue to perform activities that their stage of mental and physical wellness permits. While on the one hand, a larger number of people in the workforce will add to the economic performance of the city, on the other, it would allow a larger number of citizens to spend happier and more comfortable lives — thereby adding to the happiness quotient. Finally, it would also be in consonance with the societal respect that is due to the elders.

A question that arises is that along with the old, there are several other constituents that occupy the city and have peculiar needs. Some of these could be adversarial. However, an ideal city, without disregarding the need of any group, would try to arrive at the largest synergy possible and the best provisioning of needs that can be deftly managed. There will be a need for inclusive cities to expand the definition of “inclusive,’ since — as human settlements — cities host the most diverse group of stakeholders and interests have to be cared for.

There will be a need for inclusive cities to expand the definition of “inclusive,’ since — as human settlements — cities host the most diverse group of stakeholders and interests have to be cared for.

Various western cities have created programmes for the aged. These comprise delivering meals at the doorstep, domestic help such as home cleaning, home maintenance such as minor repairs, personal care such as showering and dressing, respite care that allows a break for the family, social support such as cultural and recreational opportunities, and transport services such as to-and-fro travel to a doctor. These are services targeting the moneyed class. Singapore has started an initiative called ‘A City for all Ages.’ In 2011, the city carried out a hardware audit of residential units and retrofitted more than 500 flats with elder-friendly features. These included slip-resistant tiles in bathrooms and wheelchair ramps. In Canada, where the number of aged people has been constantly rising, lawmakers are attempting to make communities “age-friendly.”

Cities should effectively take a number of steps to make its elderly population comfortable. For instance, there should be enough public seating and toilet facilities; dropped curbs and ramps to buildings should be basic features; and lights at pedestrian crossings should be safely timed. Building design should be “barrier-free.” Information materials and communication technologies should be adapted to suit diverse perceptual, intellectual and cultural needs.

Cities should effectively take a number of steps to make its elderly population comfortable. For instance, there should be enough public seating and toilet facilities; dropped curbs and ramps to buildings should be basic features; and lights at pedestrian crossings should be safely timed.

The above implies that a city’s planning — its landscape, buildings, transportation system, cultural and recreational mix, healthcare, libraries, housing and key services such as policing —need to be planned in a manner that they contribute to confident mobility, healthy behaviour, social participation and self-determination. Acknowledging and respecting the old should characterise social and service relationships no less than physical structure and materials. Respect and consideration for the old is an age-old custom in India and should continue — not only at home — but also on the streets, public and commercial spaces, at employment and care settings.

Respect and consideration for the old is an age-old custom in India and should continue — not only at home — but also on the streets, public and commercial spaces, at employment and care settings.

The National Policy on Older Persons (1999), Government of India makes valuable suggestions. The policy mandates the creation of geriatric wards in hospitals and exempting the elderly from queues, training and orientation to medical and para-medical personnel in healthcare of the elderly, mobile health services, special camps and ambulance services for the old by charitable institutions and not-for-profit healthcare organisations. The policy further proposes elder-friendly layouts of housing colonies, ease of access to shopping complexes, community centres, parks and other services as well as multipurpose centres for elderly people.

While cities are moving towards bettering the lives of the elderly, the ‘proliferation of large cities’ in the developing world is worrisome. If urbanisation follows such a pattern, then the aged would have little opportunity for ‘active ageing.’ Despite best efforts, factors such as rising pollution, congestion, noise and costs add to the misery. For the old, megacities clearly are unsupportive since most of the aged do not find housing unless they are wealthy; are not be able to travel unless they have private transport; do not have access to open spaces as open spaces become scarce and run the risk of disease through air, water and noise pollution. All these factors signal that decentralised urbanisation is the sine qua non for urban growth.

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Author

Ramanath Jha

Ramanath Jha

Dr. Ramanath Jha is Distinguished Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, Mumbai. He works on urbanisation — urban sustainability, urban governance and urban planning. Dr. Jha belongs ...

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