Urban environments and healthy ageing
Aspects of natural and built neighbourhood environments have a significant impact on the health and well-being of those who reside in them. A large portion of our research agenda is dedicated to understanding how to create age-friendly and sustainable urban environments that maintain and promote physical, mental and cognitive health in older adults.
Research findings have suggested that moderate to high levels of density are optimal for walking among older adults and should therefore be considered when designing cities so as to support healthy and active ageing. However, findings have also shown that high levels of air pollution, which can be associated with dense and complex environments, can offset the beneficial positive health impacts of complex and dense neighbourhood environments on memory in older adults. With so many neighbourhood features at play, it is important to consider them all together when creating healthy, sustainable, and age-friendly neighbourhoods.
What features do you think are important when it comes to creating age-friendly neighbourhoods?