Pursuing Age-Friendly University (AFU) principles at a major university: Lessons in grassroots organizing

Luz, Clare; Baldwin, Roger G.

doi:10.1080/02701960.2019.1583224

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Published accounts of specific institution’s journeys toward adopting DCU’s AFU principles have just recently begun to appear in the literature ( Clark & Leedahl, 2019 ; Luz & Baldwin, 2019 ; Silverstein, Hendricksen, Bowen, Fonte Weaver, & Whitbourne, 2019 ). Luz and Baldwin’ s ( 2019 ) case study, for example, describes Michigan State University’s AgeAlive program and its goal of expanding the institution’s portfolio, communication network, and community partnerships related to aging. Similarly, Clark and Leedahl (2019 ) describe the conceptual planning and strategizing that was necessary for the University of Rhode Island to become an AFU.…”

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confidence: 99%

Exploring University Age-Friendliness Using Collaborative Citizen Science

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Background and Objectives Since the launch of Dublin City University’s Age-Friendly University (AFU) Initiative in 2012, relatively little empirical research has been published on its feasibility or implementation by institutions of higher learning. This article describes how collaborative citizen science—a research method where professional researchers and community members work together across multiple stages of the research process (e.g., data collection, analysis, and/or knowledge mobilization) to investigate an issue—was used to identify barriers and supports to university age-friendliness at the University of Manitoba (UofM) in Canada. Research Design and Methods Ten citizen scientists each completed 1 data collection walk around the UofM campus and used a tablet application to document AFU barriers and supports via photographs and accompanying audio commentaries. The citizen scientists and university researchers then worked together in 2 analysis sessions to identify AFU priority areas and brainstorm recommendations for institutional change. These were then presented to a group of interested university stakeholders. Results The citizen scientists collected 157 photos documenting AFU barriers and supports on campus. Accessibility, signage, and transportation were identified as being the most pressing issues for the university to address to improve overall age-friendliness. Discussion and Implications We suggest that academic institutions looking to complete assessments of their age-friendliness, particularly those exploring physical barriers and supports, could benefit from incorporating older citizen scientists into the process of collecting, analyzing, and mobilizing findings.

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Exploring University Age-Friendliness Using Collaborative Citizen Science

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“…Moreover, classroom settings and activities offer prime opportunities to engage young adults in discussions around the language of ageism so that they can recognize and rectify their own language‐based age biases that fuel ageism (Gendron et al., 2016). These AFU efforts can also support and sustain the work of the Age‐Friendly Communities initiative, which is working on many fronts to build more age‐inclusive cities, states, and countries (Luz & Baldwin, 2019). The value of campus‐community partnerships can be seen in the case of age‐friendly Portland, where faculty and students from Portland State University played a central role in the assessment of age‐related community needs and contributed to planning and policy discussions with project leaders and community members (Neal, et al., 2014).…”

Section: Using An Afu Approach To Combat and Inoculate Against Ageismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age‐friendly Universities (AFU): Combating and inoculating against ageism in a pandemic and beyond

Montepare

Brown

2022

Journal of Social Issues

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Manifestations of ageism during the recent COVID‐19 pandemic call for ways to combat persistent negative views of older adults and the disparities they fuel, especially in light of the aging of populations. We discuss the pioneering Age‐Friendly University (AFU) initiative that takes a systems‐level approach and offers guiding principles for advancing age inclusivity, which in turn can combat and inoculate individuals against ageism. In particular, the principles advocate that older adults be enabled to participate in core educational activities in higher education for personal and professional development and that institutions extend aging education, research on aging, and intergenerational exchange. The need for educational institutions to be more age‐friendly has become even more clear and pressing during the pandemic, where ageism has been exacerbated. Drawing on empirical evidence, we show how AFU principles can be applied to disrupt the roots of ageism and age biases, and disparities in healthcare and work environments. Connections between the AFU initiative and the Age‐Friendly Communities, Age‐Friendly Health Systems, and Age‐Friendly Employers initiatives are suggested as a collective move toward a more age‐inclusive ecosystem that fosters the well‐being of all people as they age.

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