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