A global report that calls for cities to become "age-ready" by designing themselves around older people has been launched from Newcastle.
The National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA), based at Newcastle's Helix site, teamed up with the World Bank to launch a report this week that calls on cities to focus on six themes including universal design, housing solutions, multi-generational spaces, better transport, technology and efficient spatial planning.
Its findings were launched by NICA-based academics Prof Nicola Palmarini and Prof Tom Kirkwood, as well as representatives from The World Bank.
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This new report sets out a vision for cities and towns as they prepare for an ageing population, especially in light of Covid and the vulnerability faced by older people. Across 98 pages, the document sets out how cities and towns can provide opportunities for older people to lead full and productive lives, but that they also present insurmountable barriers unless leaders take action.
Its authors say the recommendations are primarily aimed at younger cities that may find it more difficult to visualise a future in which their populations become older.
Prof Palmarini, director of the National Innovation Centre for Ageing, said: “The World Bank Report suggests ageing is a predictable reality - so planning for it and ensuring that urban infrastructure and services work across age groups is not just inclusive but is also economically and socially beneficial for cities.
"To us, longevity-ready cities can accomplish more than initiatives focused solely on old age. Longevity-ready cities are proactive - looking at long term wellbeing - encompassing early and mid-life and emphasising cross generational exchange.
“This partnership between NICA and The World Bank is testament to our global networks and efforts in putting cities like Newcastle and the benefits of an ageing society, on the global map. We are a testbed of innovation here in Newcastle and aim to use our research to influence cross sector working around the globe in order to build age-ready cities from the built environment and urban planning policy, to social care and innovating for the health market.
“Thanks to advances in science and healthcare, people are living longer. This gives us a huge opportunity for innovating for an ageing population, something which Newcastle is a world leader in.
“The launch of this report with the World Bank, is great recognition for our city and wider region as thought leaders in healthy ageing and lies in direct synergy with our long-term ambitions for the North East’s Local Industrial Strategy, which aims to harness the power of innovation to help meet the needs of an ageing society and the opportunities of this rapidly emerging global billion-pound market.
“This will not only benefit the wellbeing of our own residents but influence the evolution of age-ready cities across the world, cementing Newcastle’s position as a global leader in this sector.”
NICA said its ongoing partnership with The World Bank demonstrated its place at the centre of world ageing innovation, and the wider North East's status as a "high potential opportunity" for investment in healthy ageing, recognised by the Department for International Trade.
