In response to the growing trend of an ageing population, Manchester Metropolitan University co-hosted the Age-Friendly Futures Summit, the largest global gathering of policymakers, practitioners, and researchers working across age-friendly cities and communities to help shape the World Health Organisation’s future ageing strategies.
By 2050, 60% of the world’s population will be living in urban environments with 27% of us projected to be over 65 according to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which demonstrates the urgent need for regional government to address population ageing.
The three-day summit (March 25-27) held at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, brought together more than 200 leaders, policymakers, and researchers to increase understanding, strengthen commitment, and propose practical action for age-friendly futures.
Themed around advancing, leading, and creating age-friendly futures, the summit was curated and hosted by Manchester Met in partnership with the University of Manchester, Centre for Ageing Better, World Health Organisation and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
Age-friendly research led by the Advanced & Applied Architecture Research Office (ARO) at Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), a collaboration between Manchester Met and the University of Manchester, was presented at the summit, and by the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group at the University of Manchester.
Stefan White, Professor of Architecture at MSA, said: “The relationship between place, health inequality and ageing is a complex challenge which requires urgent critical attention. This summit showcases globally significant research in Greater Manchester helping researchers, developers, housing providers, urban planners and public health departments from around the world to better understand and create Age friendly Neighbourhoods and respond to the residential desires of older people.”
Dr Mark Hammond, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Research Lead at MSA, said: “The model we’ve developed over the last 20 years in Greater Manchester provides a strong roadmap for the future of age-friendly research, policy and practice. We know that positive change can only be created through a long-term commitment to collaboration across sectors, working together with a shared commitment to equality, diversity and co-production with older people.”
New research highlighted at the summit included the development of a new Location and Equity for Ageing Positively (LEAP) model for implementing and evaluating how urban planning and architecture can ensure all people in all places can equally enjoy a long and healthy life.
The model is the result of 15 years of work in Greater Manchester to design, implement and evaluate ways to improve disadvantaged older people’s social, environmental and physical experiences in their communities.
This work includes research for the Greater Manchester Ageing in Place Pathfinder with GMCA to ensure older people’s voices are heard and valued in the places they live, the Rightsizing and RightPlace project investigating housing options for older people with GMCA and Centre for Ageing Better, and the age-friendly urban development guide created in partnership with GM Housing, Planning and Ageing Group to ensure older people’s voices and needs are considered in the design process.
The summit also showcased the North Manchester Healthy Ageing Neighbourhood redevelopment project in partnership with Manchester Foundation Trust, and the Co-Creating Age-Friendly Social Housing Project working with three housing associations to create new initiatives to support ageing well in Greater Manchester.
During the summit, plenary speaker Professor Tine Buffel, Director of the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group at the University of Manchester, spoke about how to address the inequalities facing older people living in areas of multiple deprivations. The Centre For Ageing Better also presented their new State of Ageing Report, a landmark publication on ageing which was launched with keynotes from Mayor Andy Burnham and Dr Janelle de Gruchy, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “This Summit is a great example of partnership working between Greater Manchester’s universities, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the Centre for Ageing Better, and the World Health Organization. It is particularly fitting that this Summit is being hosted in Greater Manchester, a city region leading the way in age-friendly practices.”
MSA, an innovative collaboration between Manchester Met and the University of Manchester, is currently placed 5th in the world in the QS World Subject Rankings. It brings together two schools with more than 100 years’ experience, more than 150 experts in their architectural fields and more than 1,200 students from 80 countries.