Navigating a city as a young, able-bodied individual can be physically tough and mentally confusing. For the elderly, it can be nearly impossible at times.
For example, the average walking speed demanded by pedestrian crossings is 1.2 meters/second, though older pedestrians’ average speed is 0.7-0.9 meters/second.
Age-friendly cities are attainable, though. In 2006, the World Health Organization began its Age-Friendly Cities project. Their suggested changes, such as seats at bus stops and “vitality benches,” equipped with armrests to assist people with standing up, can begin reversing today’s age apartheid in cities.