Age-Friendly City Indicators from the Viewpoint of Older Adults in Kashan City, Iran

Abstract

Abstract The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the age-friendly city as a response based on the challenges of demographic aging to maintain participation of the older adults in society. The purpose of this study was to assess the status of age-friendly city indicators from the viewpoints of older adults living in Kashan City, Iran. The cross-sectional study was conducted among 379 seniors in Kashan in 2020. The study tool was a questionnaire measuring the age-friendly indicators designed by Zarghani and colleagues, according to the criteria set by the WHO. Data were analyzed by SPSS and t-test was run to compare the indicators’ mean scores with those of the desired standard. The mean (standard deviation) of the social, communicational, cultural-recreational, and health-care indicators were 2.34 (0.82), 2.02 (0.78), 2.13 (0.79), and 2.56 (0.94), respectively. In comparing the desirability of the four indicators with the desired standard, no significant difference was observed only in the health-care indicator (p > .05) and in the other indicators; a significant difference was observed which indicates the low desirability of the social, communicational, and cultural-recreational indicators. So, the authorities are suggested to create welfare for the older adults.