ELDERLY FRiENDLY NEIGHBOURHOOD DESIGN, KOCh, KERALA

Abstract

Population ageing is a global issue. United Nations addresses this issue through various researches, conferences and so on. The 'Second World Assembly on Ageing' held at Madrid in 2002 forecasted the issues related to the increasing percentage of elderly population. Later in 2013 the report "World Population Ageing 2013" by the department of Economic and Social Affairs of UN highlights more about the demographic shift and the activities carried over from the second world assembly on ageing. In India elderly population is expected to be doubled by 2050 from what was there in 2010 ie. from 8% to 19%. With great cultural and social values, the impact of increasing elderly population will be more compared to the developed countries. It will affect the living styles, family relationships etc. and are very sensitive issues to handle with. More than sympathy or responsibility it is going to be a necessity to create a better living for the elder generation. In a developing country like India, when a major portion of the population is - elderly, we can't afford to leave them to sit idle without contributing to the economy. Another important factor is the cultural and social values of our society. The legacy of Indian culture needs to transfer to the younger generation and it can be achieved by the active communication of the elder and the younger generations: intergenerational gaps need to be narrowed down. Bringing the elder generations to the forefront and making them aware about their values and capabilities is very important. It can be achieved by studying the varying needs of the people as they grow old. The country need to set up policies and guidelines to meet these varying needs of the elder generation. Like any other factor, the building one live within or the space that he move around has great importance in making them feel comfortable both mentally and physically. All ncighbourhoods need to made elderly friendly to meet the physical as well as social needs of the elderly. In light of the studies done on the best practices on elderly friendly aspects within a neighbourhood, the Panampilly Nagar neighbourhood is assessed for its elderly friendliness and a set of guidelines are formulated. The guidelines provide solutions for improving the neighbourhood in regard to elderly friendliness.