SUN-AGE: Supportive neighborhood and housing environments for ageing populations

Housing with accessible design and a supportive neighborhood infrastructure are strongly associated with a good quality of life among older people. Currently we are experiencing a population ageing and an increase in households with older and often single-living persons. Older single-living persons tend to have higher rates of disabilities and without the extra support within the household, there is a greater need of care services, including health care being brought to the home. That puts even higher requirements on the housing and neighborhood environment to facilitate both formal and informal care. Economic and social aspects are also of particular importance and the neighborhood environment should be planned and designed to support vulnerable groups, promote equality, strengthen security and encourage social interaction.

The overarching aim of this project is to analyse the relationships between neighborhood and housing needs in-depth, to support societal interventions and policy initiatives for the creation of supportive environments that increase quality of life and strengthens security for the ageing population, in an equitable manner. A practical objective is to provide policy makers and urban planners with a digital tool for analysis and report that supports informed decision-making.