The “City of Longevity” project in Newcastle celebrates seniors by redefining traditional perceptions of aging through a dynamic and supportive urban environment that enables them to live actively and independently. This initiative integrates technological innovations, sustainable urban planning, and community engagement to enhance the quality of life for older adults.

Aging is inevitable, but what makes it seem discouraging are the stereotypical images that accompany it—where aging is often reduced to the image of an isolated elderly person watching life pass them by, unable to keep up or engage with it.

Across bustling cities around the world, life expectancy continues to rise, leading to an increasing proportion of older adults. This, in turn, raises the demand for facilities, healthcare services, and care systems designed to meet their needs. This is the case in Newcastle, UK, which faces a significant challenge that requires an integrated approach to urban design, healthcare enhancement, and social inclusion to improve the quality of life for its aging population.

This is why the “City of Longevity” project started, a collaborative effort between local authorities, Newcastle University, private sector partners, and the VOICE organization, which specializes in inclusion and engagement initiatives.

The project includes three main pathways: first, designing urban spaces that promote physical activity; second, enhancing healthcare services to manage age-related diseases; and third, fostering social inclusion to combat isolation among older adults.

In other words, the project aims to build healthy cities that use diverse tools and approaches for inclusion, leveraging technology to improve quality of life, combining urban design, healthcare, and strengthening social connections. The goal is to create an age-friendly infrastructure that addresses seniors’ needs, from public facilities and transportation to housing options, along with preventive health care, disease management, and mental health services.

The initiative began by focusing on the changes associated with aging, with a strategy aimed at empowering older adults to take on more active roles. This shift aimed to transform them from occasional contributors of opinions into key contributors in the systematic shaping of health policies. Through the VOICE network, local residents and experts worked together to establish a culture that promotes longevity and sustainable well-being.

The initiative has established an open-source, evidence-based framework and has chosen to utilize new technologies such as sensors and data collection and analysis tools. These technologies offer an opportunity to understand personal and social contexts and use them ethically to support decision-making processes.

Data-driven approaches have integrated behavioural and health data into urban planning and public policy, while partnerships with Newcastle University and private companies have facilitated innovative health interventions.

Technologically, the project focused on developing innovations such as adaptive devices, smart home systems, and tele-rehabilitation services aimed at facilitating the lives of older adults and empowering them to live actively and with economic independence. These solutions were implemented with a consideration of their economic, social, and health impacts to ensure their integration and effectiveness.

Additionally, the integration of health data directly targeted disease mechanisms, allowing urban authorities to address specific health needs. Activities centred on promoting well-being, providing a healthy environment, and enhancing educational programs to improve quality of life for both residents and visitors.

The initiative has not been without its challenges. It became clear early on that citizen engagement is not an easy task, as overcoming deeply ingrained mental models requires adopting a creative and unconventional approach. To address this, the project launched awareness campaigns through the VOICE platform to enhance community participation in bringing about positive health changes.

However, the most complex challenge was integrating academic work, health data, and urban planning. Overcoming this challenge required close, multi-level collaboration between the university, the private sector, and stakeholders involved in urban planning.

Since the initiative aims to achieve long-term benefits, the project team developed regular, thoughtful assessments to evaluate the project and methods for problem-solving and maintaining engagement momentum.

The project has had a positive impact on the individuals involved and has begun to leave a noticeable mark on the community as a whole, successfully promoting health and encouraging active lifestyles within the urban environment.

The project also provided valuable lessons for its implementers and participants regarding the importance of including citizens in health strategy development processes and the collaboration between public, private, and academic sectors in responding to community feedback.

The program represents an ally to both older and younger generations, adopting an inclusive approach to developing thriving urban environments for all ages.

References:

• https://cityoflongevity.uknica.co.uk/
• https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2023/06/cityoflongevity/
• https://thiscuriouslife.uknica.co.uk/city-of-longevity/