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Understanding Age-Friendliness of Cities and Urban Communities through the Perceptions of Senior Citizens in Kolkata, India


Affiliations
1 Department of Planning and Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769 008, India
2 Department of Architecture and Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India
 

To better understand the requirements of senior citizens for an age-friendly urban environment, especially in the Indian context, it is important to consider their perception of age-friendly cities and urban communities, as well as assess their experience of living in a city as an ageing person. This study highlights a perception-based methodological approach for planning age-friendly urban communities. Major tools used in the study are Focus Group Discussion to validate and modify the components derived from the literature and formulation of indicators of age-friendliness, questionnaire survey and Ridit analysis. The result generates a priority-wise rank of indicators of age-friendliness expressing the perceptions and preferences of senior citizens on the existing conditions in the study area. The result also highlights the checklist of indicators for policy intervention to achieve age-friendliness in three dimensions – social, physical and economic.

Keywords

Age-Friendly Environment, Cities and Urban Communities, Context Specific Measurable Indicators, People’s Perception, Senior Citizens.
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  • Understanding Age-Friendliness of Cities and Urban Communities through the Perceptions of Senior Citizens in Kolkata, India

Abstract Views: 366  |  PDF Views: 121

Authors

Basudatta Sarkar
Department of Planning and Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769 008, India
Haimanti Banerji
Department of Architecture and Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721 302, India

Abstract


To better understand the requirements of senior citizens for an age-friendly urban environment, especially in the Indian context, it is important to consider their perception of age-friendly cities and urban communities, as well as assess their experience of living in a city as an ageing person. This study highlights a perception-based methodological approach for planning age-friendly urban communities. Major tools used in the study are Focus Group Discussion to validate and modify the components derived from the literature and formulation of indicators of age-friendliness, questionnaire survey and Ridit analysis. The result generates a priority-wise rank of indicators of age-friendliness expressing the perceptions and preferences of senior citizens on the existing conditions in the study area. The result also highlights the checklist of indicators for policy intervention to achieve age-friendliness in three dimensions – social, physical and economic.

Keywords


Age-Friendly Environment, Cities and Urban Communities, Context Specific Measurable Indicators, People’s Perception, Senior Citizens.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv125%2Fi2%2F138-147