Healthy Ageing in a Changing Climate: Creating Inclusive, Age-Friendly, and Climate Resilient Cities and Communities in the UK

The United Nations has identified climate change as a significant threat to an ageing population. This report by the Urban Institute at Heriot-Watt University, together with the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through its Healthy Ageing Challenge, identifies key areas that require action to address the threat posed by climate change to the healthy ageing of older adults living in the UK.

Making reference to the WHO age-friendly cities and communities (AFCC) agenda, the report identifies and details the need to develop actionable interventions on six interconnected healthy ageing challenge areas: empowerment, community and social infrastructure, mobility and transport, climate resilient housing for ageing-in-place, healthcare and wellbeing and intergenerational communities. It argues there is an urgent need to provide place-based supports to empower communities to make use of the contribution older people can make to climate action while reducing vulnerability, and building climate resilience through individual, social and community level interventions.

The section on climate resilient housing for ageing-in-place sets out recommendations on climate resilient housing strategy, housing and place, housing transitions and displacement, future proofing lifetime homes, informed housing options and housing standards. Recommendations for healthcare and wellbing include community integrated health services and place-based interventions.

If you found this of interest, watch the recent Housing LIN HAPPI Hour featuring the report’s co-author, Herriot-Watt’s Ryan Woolrych.