Taking stock of Age-Friendly Cities in Aotearoa New Zealand: Progress, pitfalls and pathways towards healthy ageing

Abstract

Cities across Aotearoa New Zealand are undergoing rapid demographic transitions towards super-aged communities. Such changes necessitate innovations to support healthy ageing that incorporate social and environmental developments in addition to health service improvements. The World Health Organization (WHO) Age-Friendly Cities (AFC) framework and global network provide guidance and pathways to enhance livability and well-being for ageing societies. New Zealand's engagement with the WHO AFC network has been both recent and inconsistent, with only seven municipalities formally participating since 2018, and limited uptake among larger population centres. Drawing on published action plans and evaluation reports at city and district level, demographic trend data at national and sub-national scale, and government and WHO policy and procedural documents, this paper critically examines the progress and challenges associated with AFC initiatives in New Zealand since 2018. While there is evidence of gradual increases in AFC commitment at both national and local level in New Zealand, including growth of a local proxy network, significant gaps and limitations remain with engagement and implementation. Five key challenges are identified, including the lack of operationalisation and measurement of indicators of AFC development and success, overreliance on implementation partners, a lack of sustainable funding commitments, limited support for community advocates and volunteers, and challenges engaging cities and districts in the context of competing urban design frameworks. Actionable recommendations are proposed to strengthen AFC development, including improved integration of AFC principles in urban planning, formalised key performance indicators, and enhanced support for community champions.