Specs and the city: planning for an ageing urban population

Creating communities that meet the needs and aspirations of older people is now a major concern for social and public policy. Involving older people in the social and economic life of cities will be a crucial task for urban development in the years ahead. Manchester was named the UK's first age-friendly city in 2010, part of a global initiative launched by the World Health Organisation to create a network of like-minded cities around the world. Since then, a number of strategic and practical plans have been put to the test to address the issues that older people face in Manchester and transform the experience of older people living in an urban environment.