Ageing in Place and Autonomy: Is the ‘Age-Friendly’ City Initiative Too Elderly-Friendly?

Abstract

This chapter discusses the ‘age-friendly cities’ initiative aimed at enhancing people’s opportunity to age in place. It presents an autonomy-based defence of the idea and examines the moral claim that the elderly can make in support of their ability to age in place. The chapter emphasizes, among other considerations, that ageing in place can have cognitive benefits through the routines and habits made possible by familiar environments. However, the chapter also highlights that the claims of the elderly can come into conflict with the claims of the young. We should not only look at today’s elderly but also anticipate how today’s young will fare when they get old. The chapter concludes by making the case for an ‘all-age-friendly’ (or even ‘young-friendly’) interpretation of the age-friendly cities initiative, while also insisting on the importance of policies benefiting low-income families (regardless of age) and promoting intergenerational housing initiatives.