Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity (2022) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 116-153
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From page 116... ...
If people have no income security or resources once they can no longer work, their chances of achieving healthy longevity decline significantly. Ideally, financial security systems would guarantee that all vulnerable people (not just older people)
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From page 117... ...
So cial pensions offer an effective way of delivering financial security for older populations and will become more prevalent as the demographic transition continues. Conclusion 4-5: Financial safety nets for older people are essential to achieving healthy longevity, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where informal labor force participation is high.
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From page 118... ...
This section focuses on the social aspects and root causes of the lack of digital literacy and how it can be used to achieve healthy longevity. Older adults continue to be the least likely age cohort to have access to the internet because of both physical and psychological factors (Chu et al., 2021)
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Recently, a Lancet and Financial Times Commission stated that weak governance of digital technologies contributes to inequities and compromises human rights (The Lancet and Financial Times Commission, 2021)
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Improving digital inclusion among older adults will require increased access to and motivation to use the internet and computers and digital skills. To address these various factors, countries in Latin America have implemented programs to promote digital inclusion among older people.
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Using participatory design approaches to develop and understand this indicator can help improve the inclusivity and sustainability of digital designs. CONCLUSION Many aspects of healthy longevity are influenced by social determinants that cannot be addressed or resolved within the health system.
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In terms of healthy longevity, challenging expectations, particularly in terms of opportunity structures, is one of the most important elements of achieving Vision 2050. Integral to the discussion in this chapter is the cross-cutting theme that the intersection of family, community and social cohesion, and equity has a vital role in achieving healthier, longer lives.
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2016. The association between income and life expectancy in the United States, 2001–2014.
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2021. Social protection for the informal economy.
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2021. Helping older people achieve financial security.
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2020. Ageism, healthy life expectancy and population ageing: How are they related?
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. The Lancet and Financial Times Commission.
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2021. WHO AFRO and HelpAge International partnering to combat ageism in the African region.
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From page 129... ...
. This chapter focuses on how healthy longevity intersects with key aspects of the physical environment, such as housing, public space and infrastructure, transportation, climate change and environmental hazards, and digital access.
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. The physical environment's effects on health and well-being are evident across the life course, with negative effects accelerating as people age.
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The commission believes that the key targets discussed in this chapter can positively influence people of all ages, setting them up for a more positive trajectory toward longer, healthier life spans. KEY TARGET: HOUSING Housing is a primary component of the physical environment that can influence a person's ability to achieve healthy longevity.
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From page 132... ...
Finally, the proximity of a living space to food and resources will also play an important role in influencing healthy longevity. Universal Design One means of achieving independent and autonomous living for adults as they age is universal design, defined as intentionally developing environments and products to be easily accessed and used by a wide range of people (Farage et al., 2012)
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From page 133... ...
Likewise, a German longitudinal study followed households for 25 years and found that, among people aged 64 and older, those living in homes needing minor renovations or major renovations had, respectively, 6 percent and 20 percent more physician visits than those living in homes needing no renovations (Palacios et al., 2021)
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From page 134... ...
. This lack of access to basic services can also have negative effects across generations, setting individuals up for challenges across the life course.
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From page 135... ...
Residing in informal communities negatively impacts health and health-seeking behaviors. A study of informal settlements in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, found healthy life expectancy was twice as high in more affluent areas than in the slum settings (Szwarcwald et al., 2011)
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From page 136... ...
One key aspect of healthy longevity is a healthy diet of nutritious food. But lack of access to and availability of nutritious food can be a challenge for people across the life course depending on their circumstances, particularly income level and geographic location.
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Additionally, proximity to resources such as nutritious food can have clear impacts on healthy longevity. Tsega and colleagues (2017)
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For some countries, especially those with informal settlement environments, providing housing that has sufficient water, sanitation, and hygiene is a critical first step toward achieving healthy longevity. Finding 5-2: The proximity of a person's living space to critical re sources such as food can facilitate healthy longevity.
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From page 139... ...
While there are numerous angles to consider when creating and designing public spaces, the commission prioritizes the characteristics most directly affecting health and healthy longevity, including green space, walkability,
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Box 5-2 presents a case study in Lima, Peru, highlighting these three characteristics, in which local government transformed underused parking lots to a vibrant public space. Green Space Green space, including public parks, playgrounds, and residential greenery in urban environments, has positive health benefits across all ages, ranging from improved physical and mental health to reduced mortality (Braubach et al., 2017)
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From page 141... ...
. However, the current distribution of these green spaces within cities is often not equitable, so improving access to these benefits for all populations is an important policy goal for city and country leaders as they consider ways to optimize healthy longevity.
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. Given that physical activity has a direct correlation with physical health and can indirectly impact social engagement, developing neighborhoods and communities that support walking by individuals of all ages can enable healthy longevity.
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Where older adults fear crime, they are less likely to leave their home, limiting the physical activity and social connection that promotes healthy longevity.
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Levers for Empowering Change "Given the complexity of the built environment, understanding its influence on human health requires a community-based, multilevel, and interdisciplinary research approach" (Srinivasan et al., 2003, p.
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. Finding 5-3: Intentionally designed public spaces and built environ ments can play an important role in influencing healthy longevity.
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However, new designs and innovations can positively impact the physical environment within a community, often at reasonable cost, to promote healthy longevity as people age and depend on different transport methods. This section explores how public transit, driving, and automated vehicles may improve healthy longevity.
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In addition to being carbon-efficient and accessible, public transit systems generally require physical activity (walking, climbing stairs) for access to stations or transit stops.
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A systematic review found driving cessation to be associated with greater rates of mortality and depression, as well as premature admission to assistive-care facilities (Chihuri et al., 2016)
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Finally, economic incentives in the form of travel subsidies have been shown to increase use of public transit. Finding 5-5: Safe and accessible transportation options can give older adults the opportunity to enjoy independent mobility around their com munity instead of avoiding social activities and becoming isolated and lonely.
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. The latter findings could be paired with findings on the optimal combination and use of policies to promote equity and social inclusion for a more synergistic impact.
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"The UK Office of National Statistics estimated that in 2020 around 92% of the population as a whole used the internet, compared to only 54% of people aged 75 years or older" (The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 2021, p.
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"This includes: the use of libraries, schools, and other public buildings to broadcast accessible, 24 hour wireless networks; the use of vehicles, such as school buses, to create mo bile hotspots, including during nonoperating hours; and installing wireless access points in public parks, light poles, and other public spaces." These interventions are especially important in neighborhoods where network service is unavailable or simply unreliable. Public access points can be impactful in low-income neigh borhoods and communities of color, where residents may not have in-home or wireless subscriptions.
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From page 153... ...
Other similar findings indicate that videogame platforms paired with cognitive training can help reduce cognitive decline and depressive symptoms for those with mild Alzheimer's disease (Fernández-Calvo et al., 2011)
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