Older adults' perceptions of age-friendly communities in Canada: a photovoice study

Abstract

The concept of age-friendly communities has garnered international attention among researchers, policy makers and community organisations since the World Health Organization launched its Global Age-friendly Cities Project in . Despite the growth of the age-friendly communities movement, few studies have examined age-friendly characteristics within different community contexts. The goal of the present study was to use a participatory methodology to explore older adults' perceptions of age-friendliness. The study employed the photovoice technique with  community-based older adults in one urban community and three rural communities in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Participants were provided with cameras and took photographs to illustrate the relative age-friendliness of their communities and to generate discussion in interviews and focus groups. Themes from photographs, interviews and focus groups were organised into three broad categories: age-friendly features, contextual factors and cross-cutting themes. The age-friendly features we identified in this study generally correspond to the World Health Organization domains of age-friendliness. In addition, we identified three contextual factors that impact the experiences of older adults within their community environment: community history and identity, ageing in urban, rural and remote communities, and environmental conditions. Finally, independence, affordability and accessibility were identified as cross-cutting themes that intersect with various community features and contextual factors.

An integrative review of the factors related to building age‐friendly rural communities

“…Six out of the nine included studies were qualitative (Keating et al 2013, Wiersma & Koster 2013, Menec et al 2014b, Novek & Menec 2014, Walsh et al 2014 and three studies were quantitative (Menec & Nowicki 2014, Menec et al 2014a. Various methods of data collection were used in the qualitative studies including, focus group discussions (Walsh et al 2014), individual interviews over the telephone , Menec et al 2014b, various combinations of focus groups, individual interviews and small group interviews or discussions (Keating et al 2013, Wiersma & Koster 2013, Novek & Menec 2014.…”

“…Various methods of data collection were used in the qualitative studies including, focus group discussions (Walsh et al 2014), individual interviews over the telephone , Menec et al 2014b, various combinations of focus groups, individual interviews and small group interviews or discussions (Keating et al 2013, Wiersma & Koster 2013, Novek & Menec 2014. The three quantitative studies were crosssectional, nonexperimental studies.…”

“…Only three studies provided the range of ages for the older adult participants , Wiersma & Koster 2013, Novek & Menec 2014. In three of the studies (Keating et al 2013, Menec et al 2014a, the sample consisted of older and younger adults; however, the numbers in each age group were not specified.…”

“…All of the nine studies were set in rural communities. Eight studies were from Canada (Keating et al 2013, Wiersma & Koster 2013, Menec & Nowicki 2014, Menec et al 2014a,b, 2015and Novek & Menec 2014 and one was from Ireland and Northern Ireland (Walsh et al 2014).…”

The making of ageing-in-place

“…Novek and Menec 2014). Elements of ageing-in-place that are generally considered important are mobility, social relations, and the environment as enablers of mobility and social relations (e.g.…”