Abstract
In recent decades, a growing number of cities and towns have implemented aging-friendly community initiatives (AFCIs), which aim to create places where older adults are involved, valued, and supported (Alley et al., Journal of Gerontological Social Work 49(1–2):1–18, 2007). Aging-friendly communities promote a better person–environment fit by modifying the physical and social environment to support older adults’ health, well-being, and the ability to age in place. AFCIs reflect a shift among foundations, advocacy groups, and researchers toward reframing (Frameworks Institute, Aging, 2016) or disrupting aging (Jenkins, Disrupt aging: A bold new path to living your best life at every age. Public Affairs, New York, 2016) by focusing attention not only on the challenges but also on the benefits of an aging society for individuals, families, and communities. The ultimate purpose of aging-friendly efforts is to allow community residents to live full and meaningful lives across the life course, even in the face of not only age-related physical and cognitive changes but also psychological and social changes.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
AARP. (2013). Portland takes age-friendly action. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/Plan/planning/info-2014/action-plan-age-friendly-portland-or.html.
AARP Public Policy Institute. (2005). Beyond 50.05: A report to the nation on livable communities: Creating environments for successful aging. Washington, DC: Author.
AARP Public Policy Institute and National Alliance for Caregiving. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S. Retrieved from: http://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2015/caregiving-in-the-united-states-2015-report-revised.pdf.
Allen, S. M., Pette, E. R., & Mor, V. (2014). The adverse consequences of unmet need among older persons living in the community: Dual-eligible versus Medicare. Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 69(1), S51–S58. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbu124.
Alley, D., Liebig, P., Pynoos, J., Banerjee, T., & Choi, I. H. (2007). Creating elder-friendly communities: Preparations for an aging society. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 49(1–2), 1–18.
Ambrose Gallagher, N., Gretebeck, K. A., Robinson, J. C., Torres, E. R., Murphy, S. L., & Martyn, K. K. (2010). Neighborhood factors relevant for walking in older, urban, African American adults. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 18(1), 99–115.
American Psychological Association. (2015). The road to resilience. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Aneshensel, C. S., Wight, R. G., Miller-Martinez, D., Botticello, A. L., Karlamangla, A. S., & Seeman, T. G. (2007). Urban neighborhoods and depressive symptoms among older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 6B, S52–S59.
Baltes, P. B., & Baltes, M. M. (Eds.). (1990). Psychological perspectives on successful aging: The model of selective optimization with compensation. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Barron, J. S., Tan, E. J., Yu, Q., Song, M., McGill, S., & Fried, L. P. (2009). Potential for intensive volunteering to promote the health of older adults in fair health. Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 86(4), 641–653.
Bloomberg, M. R., & Quinn, C. C. (2009). Age friendly NYC: Enhancing our city’s livability for older New Yorkers. Retrieved from http://www.nyc.gov/html/dfta/downloads/pdf/age_friendly/agefriendlynyc.pdf.
Bolton, K. W., Praetorius, R. T., & Smith-Osborne, A. (2016). Resilience protective factors in an older adult population: A qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis. Social Work Research, 40(3), 171–182.
Bradley, E. H., McGraw, S. A., Curry, L., Buckser, A., King, K. L., Kasl, S. V., et al. (2002). Expanding the Andersen model: The role of psychosocial factors in long-term care use. Health Services Research, 37(5), 1221–1242. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.01053.
Buffel, T., Handler, S., & Phillipson, C. (Eds.). (2018). Age-friendly cities and communities: A global perspective. Bristol UK: Policy Press.
Buffel, T., & Phillipson, C. (2012). Ageing in urban environments: Developing ‘age-friendly’ cities. Critical Social Policy, 32(4), 597–617.
Buffel, T., & Phillipson, C. (2016). Can global cities by ‘age-friendly cities’? Urban development and ageing populations. Cities, 55, 94–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2016.03.016.
Burman, L. E., & Johnson, R. W. (2007). A proposal to finance long-term care services through Medicare with an income tax surcharge. Washington, DC: Urban Institute.
Burns, V. F., Lavoie, J., & Rose, D. (2012). Revisiting the role of neighborhood change in social exclusion and inclusion of older people. Journal of Aging Research, 2012, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/148287.
Calsyn, R. J., & Winter, J. P. (1999). Predicting specific service awareness dimensions. Research on Aging, 21, 762–780. https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027599216003.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Healthy aging. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/aging.htm.
Clark, K., & Glicksman, A. (2012). Age-friendly Philadelphia: Bringing diverse networks together around aging issues. Journal of Housing for the Elderly, 26(1–3), 121–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763893.2012.655662.
Cvitkovich, Y., & Wister, A. (2001). The importance of transportation and prioritization of environmental needs to sustain well-being among older adults. Environment and Behavior, 33(6), 809–829. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139160121973250.
Echeverria, S., Diez-Roux, A. V., Shea, S., Borrell, L. N., & Jackson, S. (2008). Associations of neighborhood problems and neighborhood social cohesion with mental health and health behaviors: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis. Health & Place, 14(4), 853–865.
Emlet, C. A., & Moceri, J. T. (2012). The importance of social connectedness in building age-friendly communities. Journal of Aging Research, 2012, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/173247.
Eshel, Y., Kimhi, S., Lahad, M., & Leykin, D. (2016). Individual, community, and national resiliencies and age: Are older people less resilient than younger individuals? American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(8), 644–647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2016.03.002.
Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. (2016). Older Americans 2016: Key indicators of well-being. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Feldman, P. H., Oberlink, M. R., Simantov, E., & Gursen, M. D. (2004). A tale of two older Americas: Community opportunities and challenges: AdvantAge Initiative 2003 national survey of adults aged 65 and older. New York, NY: Center for Home Care Policy and Research.
Fiori, K. L., Smith, J., & Antonucci, T. C. (2007). Social network types among older adults: A mul-tidimensional approach. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 62B, 322–330.
FrameWorks Institute. (2016). Aging. Retrieved from: http://frameworksinstitute.org/reframing-aging.html.
Freedman, V. A., & Spillman, B. C. (2014). Disability and care needs among older Americans. The Milbank Quarterly, 92(3), 509–541.
Fuller-Thompson, E., Nuru-Jeter, A., Minkler, M., & Guralnik, J. M. (2009). Black-White differences in disability among older Americans: Further untangling the role of race and socioeconomic status. Journal of Aging and Health, 21, 677–698. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264309338296.
Gitlin, L. N., Corcoran, M., Winter, L., Boyce, A., & Hauck, W. W. (2001). A randomized, con-trolled trial of a home environmental intervention effect on efficacy and upset in caregivers and on daily function of persons with dementia. The Gerontologist, 41, 4–14.
Gonyea, J. G., & Hudson, R. B. (2015). Emerging models of age-friendly communities: A framework for understanding inclusion. Public Policy & Aging Report, 25(1), 9–14.
Greenfield, E. A. (2012). Using ecological frameworks to advance a field of research, practice, and policy on aging-in-place initiatives. The Gerontologist, 52, 1–12.
Greenfield, E. A., Oberlink, M., Scharlach, A. E., Neal, M. B., & Stafford, P. B. (2015). Age-friendly community initiatives: Conceptual issues and key questions. The Gerontologist, 55, 191–198.
Hanson, D., & Emlet, C. A. (2006). Assessing a community’s elder friendliness: A case example of the AdvantAge Initiative. Family & Community Health, 29(4), 266–278.
Harris, P. B. (2008). Another wrinkle in the debate about successful aging: The undervalued concept of resilience and the lived experience of dementia. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 67(1), 43–61.
Hayutin, A. (2012). Global trends in population aging: Exacerbating social exclusion? The Gerontologist, 52(S1), 457–457.
He, S., Craig, B. A., Xu, H., Covincky, K. E., Stallard, E., Thomas, J., et al. (2015). Unmet need for ADL assistance is associated with mortality among older adults with mild disability. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 70, 1128–1132. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glv028.
Heckhausen, J., & Schulz, R. (1995). A life-span theory of control. Psychological Review, 102(2), 284–304.
Hildon, Z., Montgomery, S. M., Blane, D., Wiggins, R. D., & Netuveli, G. (2010). Examining resilience of quality of life in the face of health-related and psychosocial adversity at older ages: What is ‘right’ about the way we age? The Gerontologist, 50, 36–47. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnp067.
Hill, T. D., & Angel, R. J. (2005). Neighborhood disorder, psychological distress, and heavy drinking. Social Science and Medicine, 61(5), 965–975.
Hinterlong, J. (2006). Racial disparities in health among older adults: examining the role of productive engagement. Health and Social Work, 31, 275–288.
Jenkins, J. (2016). Disrupt aging: A bold new path to living your best life at every age. New York: Public Affairs.
Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. (2014). Housing America’s older adults: Meeting the needs of an aging population. Retrieved from http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/housing_americas_older_adults.
Kania, J., & Kramer, M. (2011). Collective impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 9(1), 36–41.
Kerr, J., Rosenberg, D., & Frank, L. (2012). The role of the built environment in healthy aging. Journal of Planning Literature, 27(1), 43–60.
Lawton, M. P. (1982). Competence, environmental press, and the adaptation of older people. In M. Lawton, P. Windley, & T. Byerts (Eds.), Aging and the environment: Theoretical approaches (pp. 33–59). New York, NY: Springer.
Lawton, M. P. (1998). Environment and aging: Theory revisited. Contributions to the Study of Aging, 26, 1–32.
Lawton, M. P., & Nahemow, L. (1973). Ecology and the aging process. In C. Eisdorf & M. Lawton (Eds.), The psychology of adult development and aging (pp. 619–670). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Lawton, M. P., & Simon, B. (1968). The ecology of social relationships in housing for the elderly. The Gerontologist, 8, 108–115.
Lehning, A. J., & Greenfield, E. A. (2017). Research on age-friendly community initiatives: Taking stock and moving forward. Journal of Housing for the Elderly, 31(2), 178–192.
Lehning, A. J., Scharlach, A. E., Price Wolf, J., Davitt, J., & Wiseman, H. (2015). Perceived challenges to the sustainability of community-based aging initiatives: Findings from a national study of Villages. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 58(7–8), 684–702.
Lehning, A. J., Smith, R. J., & Kim, K. (2017). “Friendly” initiatives: An emerging approach to improve communities for vulnerable populations. Journal of Policy Practice, 16(1), 46–58.
Liu, S. Y., & Lapane, K. L. (2009). Residential modifications and decline in physical function among community-dwelling older adults. The Gerontologist, 49(3), 344–354. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnp033.
Lui, C., Everingham, J., Warburton, J., Cuthill, M., & Bartlett, H. (2009). What makes a community age-friendly: A review of international literature. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 28(3), 116–121.
Maier, H., & Klumb, P. (2005). Social participation and survival at older ages: Is the effect driven by activity content or context? European Journal of Ageing, 2, 31–39.
Marottoli, R. A., Mendes de Leon, C. F., Glass, T. A., Williams, C. S., Cooney, L. M., & Berkman, L. F. (2000). Consequences of driving cessation: Decreased out-of-home activity levels. Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 55B, 334–340. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/55.6.S334.
Menec, V. H., Means, R., Keating, N., Parkhurst, G., & Eales, J. (2011). Conceptualizing age-friendly communities. Canadian Journal on Aging, 30(3), 479–493. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980811000237.
Mezuk, B., & Rebok, G. W. (2008). Social integration and social support among older adults following driving cessation. Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 63B, 298–303. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/63.5.S298.
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. (2016). Policy priorities 2016: Fiscal year 2017 appropriations. Retrieved from: http://www.n4a.org/files/n4a_2016PolicyPriorities_FY2017Approps(1).pdf.
National Health Policy Forum (2014). National spending for long-term services and supports, 2012. Retrieved from: https://www.nhpf.org/library/the-basics/Basics_LTSS_03-27-14.pdf.
Neal, M., DeLaTorre, A., & Carder, P. (2014). Age-friendly Portland: A university-city-community partnership. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 26(1), 88–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2014.854651.
New York Academy of Medicine. (2012). Creating an age-friendly NYC one neighborhood at a time. New York, NY: New York Academy of Medicine.
Newcomer, R., & Griffin, C. (2000). Community planning and the elderly. In R. Rubinstein, M. Moss, & M. Kleban (Eds.), The many dimensions of aging (pp. 239–252). New York, NY: Springer.
Okun, M. A., Yeung, E. W., & Brown, S. (2013). Volunteering by older adults and risk of mortal-ity: A meta-analysis. Psychology and Aging, 28(2), 564–577.
Ouwehand, C., de Ridder, D. T., & Bensing, J. M. (2007). A review of successful aging mod-els: Proposing proactive coping as an important additional strategy. Clinical Psychology Review, 27(8), 873–884.
Redfoot, D., Feinberg, L., & Houser, A. (2013). The aging of the baby boom and the growing care gap: A look at future declines in the availability of family caregivers. Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute.
Roberto, K. A., & Blieszner, R. (2015). Diverse family structures and the care of older persons. Canadian Journal on Aging, 34(3), 305–320. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980815000288.
Rosenbloom, S., & Herbel, S. (2009). The safety and mobility patterns of older women: Do current patterns foretell the future? Public Works Management & Policy, 13(4), 338–353.
Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (2000). Successful aging and disease prevention. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 7(1), 70–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1073-4449(00)70008-2.
Rowles, G. D. (1983). Place and personal identity in old age: Observations from Appalachia. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 3, 299–313.
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychologi-cal well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081.
Sartori, A. C., Wadley, V. G., Clay, O. J., Parisi, J. M., Rebok, G. W., & Crowe, M. (2011). The rela-tionship between cognitive function and life space: The potential role of personal control beliefs. Psychology and Aging, 27(2), 364–374. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025212.
Scharf, T., Phillipson, C., & Kingston, P. (2003). Older people in deprived neighbourhoods: Social exclusion and quality of life in old age. Swindon, UK: ESRC Growing Older Programme.
Scharlach, A. E. (2012). Creating aging-friendly communities in the United States. Ageing International, 37(1), 25–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-011-9140-1.
Scharlach, A. E., & Lehning, A. J. (2013). Aging-friendly communities and social inclusion. Ageing & Society, 33, 110–136. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X12000578.
Scharlach, A. E., & Lehning, A. J. (2016). Creating aging-friendly communities. New York: Oxford University Press.
Scharlach, A. E., Kellam, R., Ong, N., Baskin, A., Goldstein, C., & Fox, P. J. (2006). Cultural attitudes and caregiver service use. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 47, 133–156. https://doi.org/10.1300/J083v47n01_09.
Schoeni, R. F., Martin, L. G., Andreski, P. M., & Freedman, V. A. (2005). Persistent and growing socioeconomic disparities in disability among the elderly: 1982–2002. American Journal of Public Health, 95(11), 2065–2070. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2004.048744.
Schulz, R., & Heckhausen, J. (1996). A life span model of successful aging. American Psychologist, 51, 702–714.
Spillman, B. C., & Pezzin, L. E. (2000). Potential and active family caregivers: Changing net-works and the “sandwich generation”. Milbank Quarterly, 78(3), 347–374.
Stearns, S. C., Bernard, S. L., Fasick, S. B., Schwartz, R., Konrad, T. R., Ory, M. G., et al. (2000). The economic implications of self-care: The effect of lifestyle, functional adaptations, and medical self-care among a national sample of Medicare beneficiaries. American Journal of Public Health, 90(10), 1608–1612.
Tang, F., & Lee, Y. (2011). Social support networks and expectations for aging in place and mov-ing. Research on Aging, 33(4), 444–464.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2014). Coresident grandparents and their grandchildren: 2012. Retrieved from: https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2014/demo/p20-576.pdf.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2017). The nation’s older population is still growing. Retrieved from: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2017/cb17-100.html.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Aging Initiative. (2011). Growing smarter, living healthier: A guide to smart growth and active ageing. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/aging/bhc/guide/2009_Aging.pdf.
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2004). Transportation—Disadvantaged seniors: Efforts to enhance senior mobility could benefit from additional guidance and information (Report No. GAO-04-971). Washington, DC: Author.
Weir, P. L., Meisner, B. A., & Baker, J. (2010). Successful aging across the years: Does one model fit everyone? Journal of Health Psychology, 15(5), 680–687.
Wiles, J. L., Wild, K., Kerse, N., & Allen, R. E. (2012). Resilience from the point of view of older people: “There’s still life beyond a funny knee”. Social Science & Medicine, 74, 416–424.
World Health Organization. (nd). Age-friendly world. Retrieved from: https://extranet.who.int/agefriendlyworld/.
World Health Organization. (2007). Global age-friendly cities: A guide. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/ageing/publications/Global_age_friendly_cities_Guide_English.pdf.
World Health Organization Centre for Health Development. (2015). Measuring the age-friendliness of cities: A guide to using core indicators. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/kobe_centre/ageing/age_friendly_cities/AFC_Indicator_Guide_Pilot_English.pdf.
Xu, H., Covinsky, K. E., Stallard, E., Thomas, J., & Sands, L. P. (2012). Insufficient help for activity of daily living disabilities and risk of all-cause hospitalization. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 60, 927–933. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.03926.x.
Yen, I. H., & Anderson, L. A. (2012). Built environment and mobility of older adults: Important policy and practice efforts. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 60(5). 951–956. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.03949.x.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Lehning, A.J. (2018). Promoting Resilience Through Aging-Friendly Community Initiatives: Opportunities and Challenges. In: Resnick, B., Gwyther, L., Roberto, K. (eds) Resilience in Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04555-5_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04555-5_16
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-04554-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-04555-5
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)