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3. Building age-friendly environments through urban planning
The next section of the conference focused on urban planning and provided examples from research and practice of how we can support age-friendly, accessible environments and ageing in place through planning and housing.
Moderator Yongjie Yon, Technical Officer on Ageing and Health at WHO Europe, highlighted the importance of how physical environments affect our well-being.
Physical environments are deeply connected with social participation, mobility, mental well-being, and access to health and care services. When cities get this right, we don't just make life easier – they enable us all to be active, stay healthy, and remain connected as we age in our own neighbourhoods.
Yongjie Yon, Technical Officer on Ageing and Health at WHO Europe
Yongjie Yon emphasised that urban design should never be underestimated, as it is a preventive rather than a reactive approach.
Yongjie Yon emphasised that urban design should never be underestimated, as it is a preventive rather than a reactive approach.
Antti Rehunen, Senior Research Scientist, Finnish Environment, Institute (Syke): Developing age-friendly environments in Finnish cities
Antti Rehunen introduced a data-driven approach to urban planning. His presentation emphasised that creating age-friendly communities requires more than just social initiatives; it calls for a sophisticated geospatial understanding of where older people live and how the physical environment either supports or hinders their daily lives.
– The residential environment and nearby services make a significant difference, especially for those over 75 years old. They tend to move within a limited area around their homes.
– The residential environment and nearby services make a significant difference, especially for those over 75 years old. They tend to move within a limited area around their homes.
In Finland, only a small percentage of the older population relocates to a different apartment each year. Since older adults usually reside in older housing stock, both people and buildings tend to age together. Rehunen demonstrated that, by utilising location-based data and time-series data, planners can accurately forecast where future seniors will live based on current demographic clusters, allowing for proactive infrastructure planning.
The proportion of older people is increasing fastest on the outskirts of urban areas. This poses challenges for daily mobility.
Antti Rehunen, Senior Research Scientist, Finnish Environment, Institute (Syke)
In analysing urban areas, Antti Rehunen initially focused on walkability. Factors such as the shape and steepness of the streets are important for people with limited mobility. Infrastructure support, such as adequate numbers of benches and sufficient street lighting, significantly extends the "radius of life" for older residents. On the basis of this kind of analysis, urban planners can find areas to prioritise, Rehunen explains.
In analysing urban areas, Antti Rehunen initially focused on walkability. Factors such as the shape and steepness of the streets are important for people with limited mobility. Infrastructure support, such as adequate numbers of benches and sufficient street lighting, significantly extends the "radius of life" for older residents. On the basis of this kind of analysis, urban planners can find areas to prioritise, Rehunen explains.
The presentation also emphasised the crucial importance of nearby nature for well-being. Since many older adults spend most of their time close to home, access to green spaces significantly influences residential satisfaction.
– We also examined local services, such as local grocery shops. They are not everywhere within walking distance of where senior citizens live. Shops are becoming larger and more concentrated, which creates additional challenges.
Antti Rehunen also underscored the importance of meeting places for social interaction in urban areas. They offer opportunities for intergenerational contact and for feelings of safety and control. Analysing the availability of public transport, Rehunen emphasised the need for joint planning of social and healthcare services and public transport, among other measures.
Antti Rehunen also underscored the importance of meeting places for social interaction in urban areas. They offer opportunities for intergenerational contact and for feelings of safety and control. Analysing the availability of public transport, Rehunen emphasised the need for joint planning of social and healthcare services and public transport, among other measures.
Analysing multiple factors at the city level enhances tools for developing in an age-friendly manner, many of which also promote sustainability goals. These factors include walkability, short travel distances, access to services, public transportation, safety, affordable housing, a healthy environment, social connections, and recreational opportunities.
– In planning, we need to consider different scales and issues, and how to combine them. The priority is awareness, to recognise these impacts on older people. Several improvements can be achieved with relatively small efforts. Successful pilots in certain neighbourhoods should be scaled up to the city level. Older persons should be involved in all stages of the process.
Using location-based data allows planners to move beyond social theory and implement practical, large-scale changes that improve the daily lives of older residents.
Using location-based data allows planners to move beyond social theory and implement practical, large-scale changes that improve the daily lives of older residents.
Sirle Salmistu, Senior lecturer at the Tallinn University of Technology & landscape architect and urban planner at Outsiders LLC Estonia: Aiming for Age-Friendly Communities Through Placemaking: An Estonian Perspective
Sirle Salmistu's talk centred on the idea that public space must be viewed as social space, where the quality of the built environment directly determines the level of social inclusion and well-being for older adults. The context for Salmistu’s research is a rapidly ageing Estonia, where 20% of the population is currently aged 65 or older, a figure projected to reach almost 30% of the population by 2050.
Salmistu noted that while Estonia has made significant policy strides regarding age-friendliness in recent years, there remains a gap between high-level strategy and the lived experience of seniors in local communities.
– Age-friendliness largely falls under the responsibility of local governments in Estonia. People are doing a lot of work locally to make communities more age-friendly, but we don't label these initiatives as age-friendly. No local authority is part of the WHO Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities, nor do we have a local network. This suggests a lack of political will.
Sirle Salmistu emphasised that urban design affects public and individual health, well-being, and quality of life.
Urban planning should serve as a prevention tool rather than a reaction. It should help alleviate certain problems instead of merely setting limits. It is sometimes forgotten that we are not just creating physical environments but also shaping emotions, mental health, and social life. This is the ultimate goal.
Sirle Salmistu, Senior lecturer at the Tallinn University of Technology & landscape architect and urban planner at Outsiders LLC Estonia
Sirle Salmistu describes ageing in place, independence, autonomy, and physical accessibility as core elements of age-friendly placemaking. Ageing in place aims to help seniors remain in their own neighbourhoods by providing localised services. Independence and autonomy highlight the importance of co-production and fostering community belonging to reduce isolation. Physical accessibility ensures the built environment is functional and that amenities are accessible to everyone. These principles turn public spaces into inclusive, healthy environments that address diverse needs.
Together with her research colleagues, Sirle Salmistu conducted a study of recently designed urban public spaces in ten Estonian small towns. The study assessed how well these new developments serve the ageing population.
Sirle Salmistu describes ageing in place, independence, autonomy, and physical accessibility as core elements of age-friendly placemaking. Ageing in place aims to help seniors remain in their own neighbourhoods by providing localised services. Independence and autonomy highlight the importance of co-production and fostering community belonging to reduce isolation. Physical accessibility ensures the built environment is functional and that amenities are accessible to everyone. These principles turn public spaces into inclusive, healthy environments that address diverse needs.
Together with her research colleagues, Sirle Salmistu conducted a study of recently designed urban public spaces in ten Estonian small towns. The study assessed how well these new developments serve the ageing population.
Among the successes, Salmistu highlights that most towns featured clean, well-maintained environments that promoted a sense of security. There were also a variety of seating options and diverse landscaping with greenery. The presence of focal points, such as flagpoles, squares, and fountains, is very important as they form the social core and identity of the urban area.
Among the downsides, Salmistu highlighted a lack of public restrooms and poor information systems, which can create anxiety for residents with memory impairments. She also pointed out that while physical activity is encouraged, there is a distinct shortage of exercise equipment specifically designed for older adults. She also noted that in planning these spaces, older residents were not involved in the design process from the beginning.
– In summary, if we want to promote healthy ageing, it is essential to understand people’s evolving needs and translate that understanding into physical space. Let us not forget that we also plan our living environments for our future selves.
Among the downsides, Salmistu highlighted a lack of public restrooms and poor information systems, which can create anxiety for residents with memory impairments. She also pointed out that while physical activity is encouraged, there is a distinct shortage of exercise equipment specifically designed for older adults. She also noted that in planning these spaces, older residents were not involved in the design process from the beginning.
– In summary, if we want to promote healthy ageing, it is essential to understand people’s evolving needs and translate that understanding into physical space. Let us not forget that we also plan our living environments for our future selves.
Siri Arntzen-Ratnarajan, Leader and founder of Fabric+, Norway: Age-Friendly Communities in the Nordic and Arctic Winter: Insights from older adults Driving Action
A key point in Siri Arntzen-Ratnarajan’s presentation was the paradox of the Arctic. Although these regions are typically seen as remote, they are actually at the heart of global developments because issues such as demographic ageing and climate change are progressing rapidly and intensively there.
How does it feel to grow old in a city with seven months of winter? With this question in mind, Siri Arntzen-Ratnarajan, together with an interdisciplinary team, set out to find solutions for regions characterised by extreme weather and rapid demographic changes. This evolved into the “Ageing in the Arctic” innovation programme, which includes experts in public health, service design, and transport, with a strong focus on co-creation.
– We all worked together from the very beginning, exploring this question. We believe in strengthening the social fabric to enhance the urban fabric. We conducted walking tours, a survey, workshops, and in-depth interviews. Over 300 elderly residents in the community shared their opinions, and they were very diverse.
The innovation programme identified key insights into how winter is experienced, from different perspectives, ranging from transport and mobility to accessibility and architecture. The team found that manyelderly older people become isolated due to the weather. Almost half of the respondents said they lack company in winter. Those who live alone say their environments feel more inaccessible, as do those who have experienced slipping and falling on the street.
– There was no good data on falls at the local level. We created a falls mapping tool based on self-reporting, asking residents where they have slipped and what happened. We entered this information directly into the municipal database. This allowed us to target streets and areas where people fall, providing the basis for better priorities in falls prevention.
Siri Arntzen-Ratnarajan provided a powerful economic argument for age-friendly urban maintenance. According to data from the Norwegian Directorate of Health, municipalities could save more than half a million NOK annually by preventing just one hip fracture through better winter maintenance and accessible design. This has sparked many new projects in falls prevention.
The innovation programme identified key insights into how winter is experienced, from different perspectives, ranging from transport and mobility to accessibility and architecture. The team found that many
– There was no good data on falls at the local level. We created a falls mapping tool based on self-reporting, asking residents where they have slipped and what happened. We entered this information directly into the municipal database. This allowed us to target streets and areas where people fall, providing the basis for better priorities in falls prevention.
Siri Arntzen-Ratnarajan provided a powerful economic argument for age-friendly urban maintenance. According to data from the Norwegian Directorate of Health, municipalities could save more than half a million NOK annually by preventing just one hip fracture through better winter maintenance and accessible design. This has sparked many new projects in falls prevention.
One of the new initiatives that emerged from the "Ageing in the Arctic” programme is a scalable solution called “Nabotrim” (Neighbour Exercise), a model that activates volunteers within housing cooperatives to lead exercise groups.
– Instead of developing a complex transport system, we brought the exercise right to their doorstep. This solution was inexpensive, entirely scalable, and the model has spread rapidly. The lesson here is that sometimes we overcomplicate things, but if we genuinely listen to what the elders need, the solution might not be as expensive as we first expected.
Arntzen-Ratnarajan’s message was a rallying call for Nordic and Baltic partners to work together in creating a future where “winter is coming” is met with resilient, inclusive communities.
