A new report has been published in the International Journal of Geriatrics and Gerontology, providing insights into the development of shared language to describe the Age-Friendly Ecosystem.
Abstract: “Age-friendly” has become a common term that refers to systems and settings that uniquely address the concerns of older adults. The term, however, has several definitions and needs further clarity related to its meaning and use. Multiple sectors have identified and implemented strategies to promote age-friendly systems, but their efforts have advanced in siloes. Each has met goals specific to its constituents, however, the major transformations required to realize systemic inclusivity and well-being among diverse groups of older adults remains a challenge. Therefore, a set of experts was engaged across the five age-friendly sectors to review and define the characteristics of an age-friendly ecosystem that might encompass and be operationalized for use by all sectors. Our process was informed and guided by Kania and Kramer [1] who describe conditions to achieve substantial collective impact when coordinating efforts across sectors. The Age-Friendly Institute (AFI) conducted a review and analysis of relevant content associated with five age-friendly sectors. AFI convened 44 experts representing diverse age-friendly sectors to review and revise a set of proposed AFE shared characteristics presented here.
We encourage partners to read the full report HERE