Making London an Age-Friendly City
Published: 12/03/2019
The number of people aged over 60 will increase by more than 40% within 20 years – major planning is needed now to adapt our capital city to meet changing demands – out of date unsuitable housing leaves the elderly isolated with poor quality of life
Two articles in the Guardian Cities section (London Without Old People by Harry Leslie Smith April 2016 and What would an Age-Friendly City Look Like? by Alice Grahame Oct 2018) highlight how hard it can be for the elderly living in London and what could be done to make it better.
Harry Leslie Smith has fond memories of London as it was during the second world war and how it “charged his soul” with a sense that “anything was possible and that all could be overcome through pluck, determination and defiance in the face of insurmountable odds”.
London stood as a “beacon of hope” with everyone, young and old, putting their shoulder to the wheel to help London survive those dark days.
Harry then fast forwards 75 years to a metropolis where he sees inclusiveness to all, young and old, rich and poor being dramatically squeezed out, to be replaced by a polarised community which “venerates youth and elitism”. He sees London, which houses more millionaires per mile than any other city in the world, as a lonely desert for the elderly.
Right into his 80s, Harry enjoyed jaunts around London roaming across the City on the tube, visiting various destinations during the day to return home in the evening for a drink in his local. Now aged 93, long jaunts require a black cab, confined to roads blocked with traffic. On occasion with help, he can get around the parks and central streets London in his wheelchair, but away from the tourist traps he encounters congested broken pavements and roads difficult to cross.
Eighty of Britain’s 117 billionaires live in London, yet every year more than 1,000 people over 65 die due to cold weather and improper lodgings. Age UK London research found that life expectancy for a pensioner can vary by almost 8 years between London’s richest and poorest boroughs.
Harry writes:
“I am always painfully reminded that there is little dignity in old age because as the sun begins to set on our lives the body begins to decay. But I am more disheartened when I encounter impediments set by business or government against the elderly or those with mobility issues….. Not long ago I visited a pub, near the Wallace Collection, where I was told that even though I was sitting in a wheelchair I would have to walk up many flights of stairs if I wanted a sandwich because they would not bring it to me on either the patio or the ground floor bar”.
He ends off expressing his fear that London may become a city shorn of any diversity as extreme wealth drives out all but the rich and those who serve them.
The second article mentioned above, What would an Age-Friendly City Look Like? Alice Grahame takes a sweeping view of what cities around the world are doing to develop age-friendly cities. With one third of over 65s living on their own, and a fast-expanding number of pensioners, there is a growing awareness that action is needed now to combat loneliness and make cities better suited for seniors.
Currently 700 cities worldwide are signed up to the World Health Organisation’s Global Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities to promote healthy, active ageing and improve the quality of life for people over 60.
Whereas it is common for people to retire to the suburbs or the coast (in theory) it should make sense for us to live in cities as we get older, allowing us to take advantage of more local facilities and better public transport. However, the vast majority of city properties were not built with the needs of older people in mind. City houses tend to be small with lots of steps. Most people will not wish to move in old age, meaning adapting existing housing stock is important. Programs to insulate and improve energy efficiency help older people. Schemes like “Homeshare” bring people together with a room to spare and people needing accommodation, in return for companionship and around 10 hours of agreed tasks. Granny flats are another way of allowing generations to live together.
As mentioned above, the quality of the outside environment has a huge bearing on older persons’ quality of life. Transport, pavements, places to sit, the removal of trip hazards, good lighting and public toilets all help encourage older people to stay engaged in their local community. New York has added 1,500 new benches and 3,500 new of improved bus shelters in the last decade, many near hospitals or community facilities. In Nottingham 300 businesses have signed up to the city’s Take a Seat scheme identifying shops where older people are welcome to take a rest with a “We are age friendly” sticker.
Innovative schemes are making cycling more accessible to older people. In South London disability charity Wheels for Well-being offers sessions on specially adapted bikes, encouraging users to keep mobile independent and fit.
Age friendly cities should provide opportunities for older people to participate in public life and contribute to their communities through paid or voluntary work. Evidence shows doing so, increases social contact and good health. In China many over 65s are employed by local government in landscaping services. Armies of elder people tend the city landscape which as a consequence tend to be very well maintained.
London itself has recently signed up to the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities. Through this network London will work with other age-friendly cities and communities to share learning and best practice to make London a more age-friendly city. The London Assembly’s website (www.london.gov.uk) lists five initiatives underw
- Freedom to roam
A lifeline for more than a million Londoners, the Freedom Pass and the 60+ London Oyster photocard gives over-60s free travel on the Tube, buses and trains – older people regularly say it’s the thing that improves their lives the most. The Mayor has vowed to protect the Freedom Pass, which is funded by councils, despite calls to scrap it.
- Armchair Olympics
Older people often find it hard to keep active, meaning they miss out on the social and health benefits of exercise. The “Get Moving” programme has helped hundreds of older Londoners take part in free weekly physical activity sessions, from chair-based exercises known as the “Armchair Olympics”, to dance, tai chi, yoga and gardening.
- Silver surfing
Being locked out of the internet lowers quality of life for many older people, one of the groups that finds it hardest to get online. Through the Mi-Wi-Fi project, London libraries lend out tablets to older people and train them on how to get the most from the internet and socialise safely online.
- Age-friendly streets
As London’s population ages, our city’s environment will have to adapt. The draft London Plan will ensure new developments meet world-leading standards of inclusive design, that more public toilets are created, and streets are welcoming to all.
- Older volunteers
Retirement is a huge lifestyle change, but volunteering can ease the transition. The London Assembly is funding 12 volunteering programmes for older Londoners, including a project run by the charity “Opening Doors” that sends volunteers to befriend older LGBT people experiencing social isolation.
There is now a growing body of academic studies, public sector reports, policy research papers, conferences and (charitable and public sector funded) local groups all working with the best intentions to improve life for the elderly in London. The issue is clearly rising to the top and what we see now is hopefully a sign of things to come as journalists, politicians and other opinion formers understand that things need to change. The number of people over 65 in the UK will grow by more than 40% within the next 20 years. Recent Office for National Statistics figures show that the number of over-85s in the UK is set to increase from 1.6 million in 2018 to 3 million by 2043.
One issue which effect London the most is the cost of housing. The World Health Organisation has outlined eight areas of life where changes can be made to improve the lives of older people, including:-
“Housing should be affordable and designed to cope with both the current and future needs of older residents…with a sense of community around housing design and the need for services to be close by”
There are currently 2.4m people over 50 living in London and more than 1m people over 65. The quality of housing is a huge factor in determining the independence and quality of life for older citizens. 93% of the UK’s current housing stock fall below accessibility standards (Centre for Better Ageing report 2019). The absence of affordable housing in London may force older people who are struggling to move out of London, away from areas where they may have lived for many years. In the worst-case scenarios, it may result in them becoming homeless. It is notable that the number of rough sleepers in London aged over 56 has increased by 105% between 2006 and 2015 (Source Age UK Londonage Spring 2019).
Policy makers clearly need to have a major re-think on how London can be transformed to meet this massive challenge. Latest thinking is looking to the past for inspiration with a call to revive the ancient tradition of almshouses. Almshouses were established from the 10th century in Britain, to provide a place of residence for the poor and old. The first recorded alms-house was founded in York by King Athelstan; the oldest still in existence is the Hospital of St. Cross in Winchester, dating to about 1132.
Almshouses provide sheltered but independent housing, often around a central courtyard, at affordable rents. Many offer social activities, on-site maintenance and – crucially – links with external groups. Some 2,600 almshouses continue to be operated in the UK, providing 30,000 dwellings for 36,000 people.
In London, the United St Saviours charity can trace its roots back over 500 years to the Corporation of Wardens created by Henry VIII to act as trustees for local London charities. Based in Southwark the charity has developed , maintained and supported a number of almshouses from London Bridge to Purley in Surrey. It now has 75 properties and is about to build more.
They are developing a new almshouse in the north of Southwark that will provide modern independent sheltered housing for an ageing population, fit for the 21st Century. Their vision is that the building, and the people who live and work in it, will be a part of the community, and will host activities which have a wider appeal than just the residents.
Building is expected to start in 2019, and the first people from Southwark will hopefully be moving into their beautiful new homes in 2021.
Hopefully, where United St Saviours goes other charities and developers will follow, creating a new trend in house building, small affordable units specifically designed to provide safe accommodation for the elderly in the heart of local communities and close to local services.
