A PLAN to make Worcester an Age-friendly Community has been backed by councillors.
The idea is to better understand the needs of older people and for the city council to take these into account when making decisions.
There are already more than 85 Age-friendly Communities in the UK – places recognised for enabling people to age well and contribute to their communities.
A motion setting the ball rolling for Worcester to join that list was introduced to Worcester City Council by Cllr Karen Lewing on Tuesday (December 10).
She said there are “strong foundations already” in Worcester but the scheme would give the council a framework for “more impactful results”.
“Projections show that within two decades one in four of us will be over 65 and at the same time, there is a growing divide in experiences of ageing, with the poorest people living shorter lives and spending many more years in bad health,” said Cllr Lewing.
“If we view everything in a community through the lens of an older person’s perspective, issues like full accessibility and inclusion for them mean everyone can benefit.
“I really believe we must act now to adapt and create a city that meets the needs of all residents.”
As part of the motion, which was supported unanimously by members, one of the council’s committees will make an official application to join the UK network of Age-friendly Communities, as a first step towards joining the World Health Organisation’s global network.
The committee will also look into the creation of a new ‘Age Friendly Champion’ for Worcester.
The city council already has member champions for the armed forces; heritage; children and young people; equality, diversity and inclusion; and personal safety and civility.
These are councillors who act as advocates for particular themes or communities.