Assessing Age-Friendly Community Progress: What Have We Learned? 2022

Kathy Black, and Patricia Oh
School of Aging Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Sarasota, Florida, USA.

The Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities has grown steadily over the past decade across the United States. The age-friendly model calls for a 5-year process of continuous improvement across the stages of engagement, planning, action, and measurement, culminating in an evaluation of age-friendly progress. However, surprisingly, little is known regarding American age-friendly communities' accomplishments to date. We utilized content analysis to assess the progress reported by American age-friendly communities (n = 30) that joined by end of year 2015 using the Age-Friendly Community Evidence-based Tool with expanded program evaluation measures including health equity as defined by the World Health Organization. We employed deductive analytic techniques to assess reported community performance in 11 thematic areas across the range of structures and processes that characterize age-friendly efforts. We found strong evidence in the areas of leadership and governance, harnessed resources, application of the age-friendly framework, and in multisector collaboration as well as reported provisions. All of the communities reported health equity aims, particularly in promoting accessible physical environments and social inclusion efforts. Our analysis further revealed relatively moderate evidence of older adult involvement and weak performance in the monitoring and reporting of evaluative findings as well as overall summation and dissemination plans. We conclude by synthesizing the overall performance reported by the age-friendly communities, highlighting both strengths and weaknesses. We also offer suggestions to enhance evaluative efforts and advance the dissemination of age-friendly community progress.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002947 Cities A large or important municipality of a country, usually a major metropolitan center. Municipalities,Towns
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000069576 Health Equity Opportunity to attain full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of their social position or other socially determined circumstance. Equity, Health
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D014944 World Health Organization A specialized agency of the United Nations designed as a coordinating authority on international health work; its aim is to promote the attainment of the highest possible level of health by all peoples. Organization, World Health,WHO
D015397 Program Evaluation Studies designed to assess the efficacy of programs. They may include the evaluation of cost-effectiveness, the extent to which objectives are met, or impact. Evaluation, Program,Family Planning Program Evaluation,Program Appropriateness,Program Effectiveness,Program Sustainability,Appropriateness, Program,Effectiveness, Program,Evaluations, Program,Program Evaluations,Program Sustainabilities,Sustainabilities, Program,Sustainability, Program

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