The WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities: Origins, Developments and Challenges

Abstract

This chapter presents the original methodology developed by WHO since the origin of the Age-friendly Cities project in the mid-2000s, the interview of Lisa Warth describes the actual developments of the WHO program since the WHO Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC) set up in 2010. Launched in 33 cities in the original standard methodology (WHO 2007), the WHO program has been adapted to its global ambition and it has grown to “over 250 cities and communities across 28 countries worldwide that are engaged in Age-friendly City initiatives. Together these cities and communities cover over 100 million people worldwide.” In continuity with the WHO conceptual framework of “active aging” (WHO 2002) and the Global Age-friendly Cities Guide in 2007 (WHO 2007) and its participatory approach with older people, the GNAFCC connects all stakeholders from local areas who are interested in developing an AFCC approach but particularly insist of the importance of local government support. Lisa Warth explains how the sustainability of the network is one of the first challenges as WHO has very little resources and as the network is simultaneously expanding; similarly, the “question of what impact policy interventions have on the health and well-being of older people” is another recurrent challenge of AFCC. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)