Washington, April 5, 2022 -- As the world ages and cities expand to accommodate more people, making urban infrastructure and services age-appropriate and accessible to people of all ages can have universal social and economic benefits, according to a new World Bank report.

The report, "Halo of Silver: Building an Age-friendly City," is based on the fact that for the first time in human history, there are now more people over 65 than under 5. In fact, by 2050, one out of every six people in the world will be over 65. As the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on older people worldwide in recent years, and the world is grappling with issues ranging from the climate crisis to ongoing conflict and violence, more older people are moving to cities and towns to be closer to their children or to access basic services like health care and public transportation.

This is an urgent need for policy makers to actively think about how to plan and design age-appropriate cities and make conscious investments in them. The report provides a roadmap for efforts in six key areas that can help policy makers design resilient, productive and inclusive aging cities. The six areas are: universal design, housing solutions, multigenerational space, physical mobility, technology and efficient spatial form.

"Aging cities are cities that work for everyone," said Sameh Wahba, Director of the World Bank's Global Practice for Cities, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience and Land. Age-modification does not just benefit the elderly, but has universal benefits that can make life better for all. That's why we think it's important for countries that already have large populations of older people and those that will be aging in the future to think about how they plan and design their cities and towns to be age-resilient."

The "Silver Halo: Building age-Friendly Cities" report argues that building age-friendly cities may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for countries, for several reasons:

Urban ageing can benefit people of all ages and meet the needs of all ages -- for example, open Spaces such as parks and gardens and community facilities such as libraries can benefit everyone, not just the elderly.

Around 15 per cent of the global population has some kind of disability, while more than 46 per cent of people over the age of 60 have one or more disabilities. Therefore, investing in accessible infrastructure and signage can help older people live autonomous, dignified lives, rather than constantly needing help.

There is evidence that the benefits of a proactive approach to designing and maintaining accessible infrastructure outweigh the costs, especially for cash-strapped cities.

The emphasis on aging in cities also makes good economic sense. The elderly are a huge market for goods, services and investments, so the entire community would benefit from building healthcare, technology and leisure solutions that work not only for the elderly but also for everyone, regardless of age, gender, income or disability.

Ageing cities also have many social and cultural benefits that cannot be quantified. Older people often pass on not only their savings but also valuable social and cultural knowledge and behaviours to the younger generation, providing them with emotional and psychological guidance.

Allowing cities to accommodate the needs of both older and younger populations helps strengthen the cohesion of countries and underscores the commitment to greater inclusion and care for diverse populations.

The report suggests that cities can achieve aging fitness goals through a variety of initiatives, including: Establish the long-term vision, to increase investment, for data collection and analysis work to them with all sorts of stakeholder groups are in negotiations, practical and durable design measures, expounds the public and private sectors, communities, academia, civil society and the role of external agencies, implementation of the policy action, and evaluate the effectiveness of specific methods, etc.

Population ageing is a predictable reality, so planning accordingly and ensuring that urban infrastructure and services are accessible to people of all ages will not only help to make cities more inclusive, but will also bring economic and social benefits to cities. Walkable cities, easy access to public transport, safe and quality housing and innovative technology services and solutions benefit not just older people, but everyone. As countries plan for the post-pandemic era, ageing should be an important part of development planning, the report says.