The Platform
The Platform
Age-friendly Environments
Work with the global community to create better places in which to grow, live, work, play, and age.
Learn moreThe 2025 United Nations International Day of Older Persons will serve as a platform for older persons to share their aspirations, advocate for their well-being, and call for the full enjoyment of their human rights. This year's commemoration, themed "Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-Being, Our Rights,” will take place in-person at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City ECOSOC Chamber (tbc), on Wednesday, 1 October 2025 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST.
MoreAnyone, anywhere, can be lonely or socially isolated. But in the last decade, science has transformed our understanding of how important social connection is for our health and well-being. The WHO Commission on Social Connection (2024–2026) was set up to see the issue recognised and resourced as a global public health priority. The Commission has now published their flagship report. Learn more about how we can harness the #PowerOfConnection together to transform communities and societies across the globe.
MoreThis public hearing will contribute to the development of the second European Programme of Work, 2025–2030 (EPW2) from the perspective of promoting healthy ageing and ensuring equity and build resilient communities beyond 2030.
MoreJoin PAHO/WHO on World Cities Day, 31 October at 10:00 am (EST), for a webinar launching a virtual course aimed at providing knowledge on age-friendly environments, healthy ageing, and the importance of developing cities and communities that foster the abilities of older people.
MoreMost COVID-19 related deaths in the Region of the Americas have occurred in people aged 70 years and over. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has further revealed the fragility of older adults, as well as of the health systems and communities that support them. However, age-friendly environments and related initiatives have played a key role in the timely adaptation to and mitigation of the effects of COVID-19. Various age-friendly cities and communities in Latin America participated in a survey aiming to understand the role of such initiatives in the Region, the impact of being part of the global network, and to present best practices adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This publication aims to show that being part of the “age-friendly global network” is beneficial not only to older persons but for all, and it can be especially beneficial in emergency situations. Its intended impact is to increase the quality of planning and concrete actions of age-friendly environments within the Region of the Americas. The primary target audiences of this publication are Member States of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and stakeholders that are involved and have prior knowledge of the practice of age-friendly environments. It also intends to reach age-friendly cities and communities in the Region of the Americas to share good practices that can be reproduced, as well as encourage such initiatives on behalf of older individuals. Its key messages highlight the importance of access to technology for older people and how being an age-friendly city plays an important role in reaching vulnerable populations. It also shows how a multisectoral approach and the involvement of different actors have made a huge impact in the development of activities toward an age-friendly environment and in favor of the protection of older adults.
MoreThis inter-institutional initiative, led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in collaboration with other United Nations agencies and the inter-American system, aims to promote effective actions, favor the prioritization of measures at the local level and serve as a basis for reporting on the progress made during the Decade of Healthy Aging 2021-2030. Its purpose is to provide evidence-based information on the health and well-being situation of older persons in the Region of the Americas. This initiative consists of a series of publications is divided into four parts, namely: the demographic situation in the Region, aging and health, the various areas of action of the Decade of Healthy Ageing and other related emerging issues. Each part will be updated with new reports, articles, and data on a regular basis.
MorePeople worldwide are living longer, but the opportunities that arise from increasing longevity depend strongly on the health and well-being of older populations. Healthy ageing needs to be fostered by creating integrated and responsive primary health care systems and services; ensuring access to long-term care for older people who need it; changing how we think, feel and act towards age and ageing; and cultivating age-friendly environments. If these actions are underpinned by activities to address socioeconomic inequities, then they can improve the health and well-being of current and future generations.
MoreIn a new Surgeon General’s Advisory, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warns about the public health crisis that loneliness, isolation, and disconnection pose to the American public. Loneliness and isolation are widespread, with approximately half of U.S. adults experiencing loneliness. Disconnection fundamentally affects our mental, physical, and societal health. In fact, loneliness and isolation increase the risk for individuals to develop mental health challenges in their lives, and lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Strengthening the social fabric of our communities is essential in order to improve the health of people and communities and must be a national priority. Addressing loneliness is as vital to protecting our health as addressing obesity, tobacco, or addiction. The Surgeon General’s Advisory lays out lays out a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection, which has never been done before in the United States. It includes six pillars detailing recommendations that individuals, governments, workplaces, health systems, and community organizations can take to increase connection in their lives, communities, and across the country. By strengthening our relationships, increasing connection, and rebuilding the social fabric of our nation, we can improve the health of people across the country.
MoreThis research brief synthesizes scholarship and research exploring the concept of ageism, its multifaceted forms, impacts, and redresses. Ageism is defined as the stereotyping, prejudice, and/or discrimination of individuals on the basis of their age. It is one of the most pervasive, yet least acknowledged and socially accepted forms of prejudice. Though little recognized, ageism is a significant societal issue and mounting public health concern for the growing global elder population and communities worldwide. Biased attitudes and actions are observed at the individual, societal, and systemic levels. Age-prejudice can be implicit, subtle or evident, and consequential harms may be immediate and/or enduring. Resulting injuries include increased morbidity, marginalization, social privation, and financial damages. Effective interventions embrace education, awareness, intergenerational programs, and outreach.
MoreThe WHO Framework to implement a life course approach in practice summarizes current evidence to reorient health systems to produce health and well-being, draws on global examples of implementation, and proposes next steps. A life course approach acknowledges that health and well-being depend on the interaction of multiple protective and risk factors, particularly during sensitive and critical periods throughout people’s lives and across generations. It strengthens equity by recognizing how critical periods, transitions and cumulative exposures shape health trajectories. This framework targets a wide audience including governments, civil society, and other non-state actors committed to applying a life course approach and informs discussions on redesigning primary health care programmes to improve life course health trajectories.
MoreIn March-April 2020, advocacy organisation National Seniors Australia asked its members aged 50 and older to participate in a short, voluntary survey about the COVID-19 crisis. The survey asked two questions: 1. What issues or concerns would you like to bring to the attention of the Government about the COVID-19 virus pandemic? 2. What resources do you need to deal with risks of COVID-19? In total, 1100 people provided at least one text response to the survey. Survey participants shared a number of issues and concerns. These included inadequate access to essential food, groceries and pharmaceutical items; financial stress brought upon them by the pandemic or exacerbated by it; overlooked digital needs; overlooked emotional needs; and overlooked transport needs. In the later weeks of the survey, some participants wrote about the impacts of enforced isolation on their mental health; their changing income or workforce situation due to economic changes during the pandemic; and ageist attitudes emerging from the association of older age and frailty in public discourse. A number of survey participants responded from the perspective of being a carer for other adults or children. They sought clearer guidance on appropriate behaviours under COVID such as isolation and social distancing during caring activities; help with contingency planning for emergencies; access to personal protective equipment for carers; recognition for carers' essential role; and increased funding to support carers.
MoreA significant portion of older individuals experience mental disorders. Yet, these often go unnoticed and untreated, being overlooked as normal ageing or overshadowed by other health issues. This is especially true for older women, those with lower socio-economic status, and long-term care facility residents. To effectively promote and protect the mental health of older adults, addressing the treatment gap and the negative impacts on individuals and their families is crucial. This policy brief outlines the determinants and prevalence of mental health issues among older adults in the UNECE region and features concrete policy strategies and examples aimed at improving mental health of older persons from across the UNECE region. The policy examples featured in the brief include measures to eliminate stigma, improve mental health literacy and combat ageism. They also include measures aimed at prevention and early detection, tackling psychosocial challenges and supporting older persons during challenging life events. Furthermore, the brief includes policy examples for integrating mental health services into care, improving access to treatment, protecting mental health in emergencies, and enhancing research and data collection.
MoreThe number of aging workers in the workforce is growing. People are working longer, either because they want to, they need to to make ends meet or have because they have unique skills. So, what are the implications of this trend for the trade union movement? What does it mean for older workers and their representatives? And how can trade unions address the multiple challenges that are emerging as the workforce ages? In this podcast we explore these trends with Plamen Dimitrov, President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria and member of the Workers’ Group of the ILO Governing Body.
MoreDid you know that social isolation or loneliness could increase your risk of early death by up to 32%? How would you know if you are socially isolated and how does it impact your health? Alana Officer explains and gives tips to overcome social isolation in Science in 5 this week.
MoreThere’s a new trend in the world of work…the growth of an ageing workforce. It’s called the “Silver Tsunami’, and it means more people are working past retirement age, either because they want to or because they must, to make ends meet. So, what are the implications of this trend for employers and enterprises? In this podcast, Roberto Suárez Santos, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of Employers, and Dorothea Schmidt-Klau, Chief of the Employment, Labour Markets and Youth Branch in the ILO’s Employment Policy Department, explore this issue, and how it will impact the world of work.
MoreThis feature video story shows how local community and hospital promote health and prevent diseases by creating an age-friendly environment in Saitama, Japan. By expanding preventative health services, organizing group activities, and emphasizing the importance of health-conscious choices, local residents are empowered to take control of their own health and well-being. Through effective service coordination, multidisciplinary care, and strong community support, it demonstrates how age-friendly environments can contribute to fostering a sense of community and promoting positive lifestyle choices for individuals of all ages.
MoreThis database is the first product of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing's intervention accelerator initiative on abuse of older people, which aims to develop a portfolio of effective approaches to prevent and respond to the abuse of older people. The database contains 89 promising interventions identified through a rigorous search and screening of nearly 14 000 scientific studies. The aims of these interventions include: (1) improving knowledge of abuse of older people among professionals to increase the likelihood of detection and reporting; (2) raising awareness of the issue; (3) reducing mental health symptoms among victims of abuse; and (4) preventing abuse. Older people who have experienced or are at risk of abuse were the main targets of these interventions, although a significant proportion were also aimed at caregivers, perpetrators of abuse and institutions. Over half of the identified interventions were implemented in the United States of America, which emphasizes the need to conduct more research in low- and middle-income countries. The new database is a rich repository of evidence-based interventions to address abuse of older people that can inform future research and practice in the field by governments, international organizations, civil society organizations, academics, practitioners, and funders. The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing intervention accelerator on abuse of older people will build on this database by further evaluating these interventions for refinement, adaptation and real-world testing.
MoreThe Global Dementia Observatory (GDO) Knowledge Exchange Platform contains key resources to support the implementation of the Global action plan on the public heath response to dementia 2017-2025 and its seven action areas. The GDO KE Platform enhances countries’ and communities’ response to dementia. It provides a space for stakeholders to share resources (e.g. policies, guidelines, case studies and examples of good practice) available at no-cost, to facilitate mutual learning and promote the exchange of knowledge in the area of dementia.
MoreThe WHO Ageing Data Portal, part of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing Platform, brings together data on available global indicators relevant to monitoring the health and well-being of people aged 60 years and over. Through maps, charts and tables, the portal offers tailored options for visualization and analysis of the data. This information will strengthen the visibility of older people, help inform action to improve health and well-being in countries in line with global, regional and national commitments. The Data Portal also offers detailed country profiles to help provide more information at the national level.
MoreThis database provides a searchable list of age-friendly practices implemented by members of the WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities, and beyond. In practical terms, age-friendly environments are free from physical and social barriers and supported by policies, systems, services, products and technologies that promote health and build and maintain physical and mental capacity across the life course; and enable people, even when experiencing capacity loss, to continue to do the things they value.
MoreJapan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is an incorporated administrative agency that delivers Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan. JICA is one of the worldʼs largest bilateral aid agencies, supporting developing countries in addressing their development challenges through flexible combination of various cooperation modalities, such as Technical Cooperation, Finance and Investment Cooperation, and Grants. JICA has 96 overseas offices and operates in approximately 140 countries and regions of the world (As of July 2023). JICA also has 15 domestic offices across Japan that serve as a nexus linking developing countries with regions in the country. These domestic offices promote international cooperation that takes advantage of the characteristics of these regions and contribute to their development through such cooperation.
MoreThe Fred Hollows Foundation is a global leader in eye health and international development with a clear purpose: to make sure everyone has access to high quality, affordable eye health care. The Foundation continues the vital work of Professor Fred Hollows’ whose vision was a world where no one is needlessly blind or vision impaired. The Foundation works in more than 25 countries throughout East and South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and the Pacific, and has a 30-year history of working with national health ministries and partners in lower- and middle-income countries to improve health systems and eliminate avoidable blindness. The Foundation has restored sight to more than 3 million people over the past 30 years, and in the last 5 years alone, it has conducted more than half a million cataract surgeries. With its distinct focus on disadvantaged communities and on those who are most affected by avoidable blindness, the Foundation has improved the lives of many older people worldwide and is committing additional efforts to foster healthy ageing through eye care and other interventions.
MoreSAGE is the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is an organization that advocates with and on behalf of and offers supportive services and resources to LGBTQ+ older people and their caregivers.
MoreCommonAge is a charitable organisation, advocating to ensure older people are fully recognised in society, and are supported and enabled to live well in an all-age friendly Commonwealth. We support the view that a healthy ageing population is much less expensive one for governments to support, and therefore is less of a burden on taxpayers and health systems. We actively lobby governments, encourage sharing of ideas and promoting intergenerational activities, hold both physical and virtual events, and support ongoing research into issues affecting older people in the Commonwealth.
MoreEstablished in 2013, Bihani Social Venture is Nepal’s first social enterprise working to foster age and disability inclusive communities focusing on older adults. To promote a society inclusive of older people, Bihani offers innovative and diverse services and activities. Our primary focus is on individuals above the age of 50 (however not limited to it) while our secondary focus is on families, institutions and organisations who directly or indirectly work or interact with elders.
MoreProAge is a UK charity dedicated to combatting ageism at work thereby creating age-inclusive workplaces and high-performing multigenerational teams. We help companies by offering three core services: 1. Age-inclusive audits and ongoing follow-up; 2. Multigenerational workplace consulting; 3. Leadership training - multigenerational teams.
MoreBAGSO is an umbrella organisation of about 120 civil society organisations that are run by or work for older people. As such, it calls on politicians, society and businesses to offer conditions that allow for a good and dignified life in older age. In important policy areas, BAGSO puts themes on the political agenda that are relevant for healthy and active ageing. In statements and position papers, BAGSO identifies requirements for good quality of life in older age and provides recommendations for political action at federal, state and municipal level.
MoreThe Social Innovation Group is an interdisciplinary group of researchers at the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus. We work on place-based, person-centred approaches to care, whether that is care for each other, our communities or our environment. We currently have two projects related to ageing. First, HAIRE (Healthy Ageing through Innovation in Rural Europe) which seeks to empower older people to articulate their needs and aspiration and to participate in service design and delivery in their communities. HAIRE operates in eight pilot sites in the UK, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Second, ANCHOR, which takes the toolkit designed in HAIRE and uses it to support the delivery of the NHS's Ageing Well agenda through improving anticipatory care in Cornwall, UK. Through these projects, we work in partnership with charities, agencies, government at all levels, health and care providers and voluntary sector organisations to co-design bespoke tools to support healthy and inclusive ageing.
MoreGlobal Intergenerational Week is about raising awareness of the power of intergenerational connections and relationships, and recognising the benefits they can bring to individuals, families, and communities. In a post-pandemic world that is too often characterised by division, loneliness, and social isolation, intergenerational connections can offer a powerful antidote. They bring together people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences, and create opportunities for learning, sharing and growth, leading to the creation of stronger and more resilient communities.
More1in6by2030 is a global, collaborative project that brings together photographers from around the world to put a human face on one of the most important "statistics" of our time — the fact that by the year 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be over the age of 60. Earth’s population is about to become the oldest it has ever been. In the seven years leading up to 2030, photographers around the world will show us what it looks like to live in this historic time. This is a historic moment for the world — one filled with challenges and also huge potential — as individuals, societies and governments confront one of the most fundamental population shifts in human history. This seven-year-long project launched in 2023 will feature a series of photo essays that bring these issues to life from around the world.
MoreLoneliness Awareness Week is a week dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness. It's all about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends or colleagues about loneliness. Loneliness is a natural human emotion - we are hardwired to need social connections. By talking about it, we can support ourselves and others.
MoreInvesting in people’s health is vital for everyone’s wellbeing and to ensure that we can truly benefit from the “longevity dividend” that could result from an ageing population. Yet we know that across the globe, action and investment in healthy ageing and preventative health continues to lag. This is where the Healthy Ageing and Prevention Index comes in. It ranks 121 countries against six indicators: life span, health span, work span, income, environmental performance, and happiness. This allows us to compare how sustainable different countries are, both in terms of longer lives and the extent to which their governments are investing in efforts to prevent ill health and support healthy ageing. We know prevention is better than cure. We know what works. Now we need to see action.
MoreThe Global Coalition on Aging Bone Health Initiative was convened in 2022 to address the importance of bone health on the global public health agenda. Experts project that half a billion people will soon be living with osteoporosis, which weakens their bones and increases the risk of fragility fractures – fractures that occur because of weaker bones. Every 3 seconds, an older adult suffers a fracture, resulting in an estimated 9 million fractures globally every year. Approximately 33 percent of women and 20 percent of men aged 50 and older will experience osteoporosis-related bone fractures. More importantly, we know that individuals who sustain fragility fractures ddare a readily identifiable group at high imminent risk of sustaining second and subsequent fractures.
MoreAgeFriendly.org is a data-driven technology platform that aims to provide trusted content about the aging journey, help validate and elevate all things “age-friendly”, and invite older adults and caregivers to share reviews and ratings about programs, businesses, health care providers and other services where they live, work and thrive. Experts have used the term “age-friendly” for the last 15 years to describe and assess successful approaches to improving quality outcomes for older adults in cities, workplace, homes and provider settings. Providers around the globe are innovating and creating “age-friendly” best practices to better serve fast growing populations of older adults. Consumers too are recognizing and adopting this term, fueled by consumer-facing media in the U.S. that has used the term over 300,000 times in just the last two years. A missing link in this burgeoning “age-friendly” ecosystem has been a feedback loop: the ability for providers to collect consumer feedback at scale and use it to guide the creation of better programs and services that truly live up to the promise of “age-friendly.” User-generated rating and reviews sites exist in many categories (like travel) to promote authenticity, create trust and drive purchasing decisions. To date, a comparable site that elevates and connects “age-friendly” providers with older adults has not existed. AgeFriendly.org aims to address this gap.
MoreThis weekly research report, delivered via email and also available via a dedicated webpage, is compiled by the Foundation for Social Connection’s Social Isolation and Loneliness Workgroup (SILWG). Each week, the Workgroup brings together the latest publications, events, and research on the general topic of social isolation and loneliness, including but not limited to older people. The compiled information is generally sourced from the academic / research sector.
MoreThe Easierphone app provides a simple, clear home screen and easy to use apps for Android and iOS phones. To solve technical problems, Easierphone can be remotely supported by a family member. Optional monitoring of well-being and emergency protocols can provide peace of mind for older people and their families. Easierphone empowers primary users to effectively use a smartphone. This is achieved by simplifying the interface and core applications, and by enabling secondary users to remotely assist them. Comfort and well-being of both primary and secondary users are improved.
MoreSeating is a very important component of age-friendly communities. Appropriate seating supports people of all ages and abilities to access their local community. Everyone appreciates an opportunity to rest, and this is particularly true for older people and people with certain impairments, whether they are physical, cognitive or sensory. This publication, checklist, and toolkit produced by Age Friendly Ireland provides a concise and digestible overview of how to make seating more age-friendly and make communities a great place to live for all.
MoreThis guide to rightsizing, the process of moving home in later life into housing that is more suitable, was developed based on research carried out on behalf of Age Friendly Ireland in 2020. This booklet is intended for older people and their families who are considering their housing options in later life. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list, rather a guidance document with some useful information and telephone numbers. The content of the guide was drawn from the research process, which included case studies with older people, interviews with agencies and service providers, literature review and a survey.
MoreThe facilitator guide is comprised of nine topics which we advise teaching in sequential order to allow volunteers to see the full range of materials available. The tools, talking points and activities included allow volunteers to teach communities in an interactive way. The assessment topic allows volunteers to assess community needs and develop a healthy ageing programme for each community based on its unique needs. The assessment determines which topics will be taught and the priority of each topic at any given time in the programme. All topics allow participants to learn and practise key knowledge and skills to coach community members through social and behaviour change techniques and to set a supportive environment for healthy ageing at the community level.
MoreBuilding on a pioneering model from Age-friendly NYC, the playbook offers step-by-step guidance for Age-friendly Cities and Communities to lead on adult vaccination, for COVID-19 and beyond. As governments and health systems around the globe roll out the COVID-19 vaccines, one group must be at the center of their efforts: the world’s more than 1 billion people 60 and older. This population faces by far the greatest risk from COVID-19, so widespread immunization among this group is essential to saving lives, reducing strain on health systems, and enabling rapid reopening. However, adult vaccination efforts have historically struggled with low uptake. In early 2021, the Global Coalition on Aging embarked on a unique partnership with Age-friendly NYC and the New York City Department for the Aging to engage older adults to build trust and confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as underscore the importance of adult vaccination in general. In doing so, the organizations hoped to not only help control the COVID-19 pandemic but also serve as the leading edge for a healthier future of life course vaccination and active aging.
MoreBased on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's Guidelines for Mainstreaming Ageing, this interactive course introduces the five stages for developing a strategic framework to mainstream ageing. Guided by the fictional moderator Patricia and her friend James, the course first introduces the concept of mainstreaming ageing and explains how to get started. It then covers the objectives and content of conducting a situation analysis, along with the need to identify the strategic vision, objectives, and activities required to realize them. Finally, the course emphasizes the importance of developing a monitoring and evaluation system to assess progress towards the goal of mainstreaming ageing. The course will take about 1 to 2 hours to complete.
MoreAge-Friendly Environments (AFE) ECHO is a multi-session learning cycle in English, aligned with the latest approaches and guidance from the World Health Organization on age-friendly cities and communities. AFE-ECHO is part of the Age-friendly Environments Mentoring Programme (MENTOR-AFE), and is an innovative opportunity for capacity building of representatives from Member States that are interested to develop age-friendly cities and communities at the national, regional, or local levels. The program structure provides a safe environment where participants can share knowledge and learn from experts and other learners through collaborative problem-solving, to gain the skills necessary to advocate and drive the age-friendly model within their own city and/or community. Key features of the AFE-ECHO course include: the learning cycle comprises 5 one hour sessions; sessions take place over a 2-month period; there is no cost to participate and all sessions are hosted using Zoom video conferencing. Participants need to be in a position where they can or will be able to influence the development of age-friendly communities so that they can apply their learning. Participants are expected to attend all 5 sessions, as the experience and knowledge is cumulative.
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