Year started: 2021

Ends: 28 February 2026

Understanding the relationship between population ageing and urban change is now a major issue for public policy and research. The case for such work is especially strong given that cities are where the majority of people of all ages live and where they will spend their old age. Nevertheless, cities are largely imagined and structured with a younger, working age demographic in mind. Older people are rarely incorporated into mainstream thinking and planning around urban environments. The Ageing in Place in Cities project is based in the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group and funded by a five-year Leverhulme grant. This research programme will contribute new knowledge about how urban environments can be developed to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly diverse ageing population. The research will examine the role of age-friendly policies and initiatives in shaping the experience of ageing in place in seven cities: Akita (Japan), Bilbao (Spain), Brno (Czech Republic), Brussels (Belgium), Manchester (the UK), Oslo (Norway) and Quebec (Canada). The research builds upon our expertise in developing innovative methods of co-production involving older people in all stages of the research process. The Ageing in Place in Cities project has brought significant investment and grown the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group. We are committed to working in partnership with policy, practice and public stakeholders to promote age-friendly urban environments. We are looking forward to several new PhD students starting with the research group in September 2021 and the continuing of collaborative working with a variety of partners across the globe. To read or hear more about the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group and the Ageing in Place in Cities project you can explore the research group’s website (https://www.micra.manchester.ac.uk/muarg/) and watch the introductory project film (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7CUgTgUuLU). The Ageing in Place in Cities project is the first multi-national comparative study of ageing in place in cities. Through pioneering co-production methods, and contributing to robust evidence for policy-making, we will be helping to create more inclusive and just cities that are sustainable for current and future generations.

Objectives

Advance understanding of ‘ageing in place’ in cities using interdisciplinary perspectives • Examine policies and age-friendly initiatives aimed at supporting ageing in place across seven cities • Explore experiences of ageing in place among diverse ageing populations (reflecting different ethnic, gender and class backgrounds) living in urban neighbourhoods • Develop methods and tools for measuring and reporting the impact of age-friendly interventions • Co-produce innovative models of dissemination with various stakeholder groups

Scope

The project is adopting a transdisciplinary co-production approach and will be working with older people, local governments, community organisations and academics working on age-friendly initiatives.