Ireland has one of the youngest populations in Europe. However, since the 1980s, evidence suggests an aging of the population and this is expected to continue with the baby boomer generation entering retirement. According to the CSO 2016, the number of people aged over 65 has increased by 19.1% since the last census, compared to a drop of 6.5% in the 19-24 age group. Globally, it is estimated that between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the population aged over 60 will double, from around 11% to 22%, reaching around 2 billion people in total, including 395 million will be over 80 years old. By 2050, there will be more elderly people than children under 14. Most of this aging will take place in urban areas. (World Health Organization, 2017) Population aging is considered a great triumph for society as it reflects factors such as better housing and living conditions, better public health and medical advances and scientists. However, there is no doubt that this unprecedented demographic transition could have profound economic, social and political implications. It is therefore imperative that planners begin now to implement strategies and provide services and infrastructure to meet the challenges this transition will pose. “The growing importance of population aging on the political agenda cannot be disputed. » (Hockey, Phillips and Walford, 2013) This essay will discuss the planning challenges posed by an aging population; create policies, provide infrastructure and ensure a diverse social housing stock. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay “Aging in place” has been defined as “remaining living in the community, with some level of independence, rather than in residential housing.” care” (Davey, de Joux, Nana and Arcus, 2004, p. 133). In addition to the broad consensus that it is better for economic reasons to stay at home compared to institutional care, studies show that people prefer to remain in the comfort of their own homes and familiar community settings. "A first problem for development planners in understanding the spatial experience of older people arises from the breadth of the concept, which requires the assimilation and translation of knowledge from a wide range of disciplines, including gerontology, geography, town planning and psychology. (Hockey, Phillips, & Walford, 2013) One way to overcome this fundamental challenge is to develop a multidisciplinary approach to creating policies by analyzing data such as demographics, employment statistics, and enrollment figures to predict what will be the demand. . The Royal TownPlanning Institute, which represents the planning profession, has itself sought to fill this knowledge gap by publishing guides such as 'Planning for an Aging Population', 'Planning for an Aging Society' and 'Housing for a aging population. The World Health Organization's Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities includes more than 500 cities and communities in 37 countries, all working toward a similar goal: ; improve their physical and social environment to enable healthy aging in place, on the themes of underweight - the built environment, social participation, housing, respect and social inclusion, transport, participationcivic and employment, communication and information, as well as community support and health services. This network led to Ireland adopting its own National Positive Aging Strategy, a high-level document published in 2013, whose vision is for "Ireland to be a society for all ages that celebrates and properly prepares for aging of individuals and the population. engage in strategies such as these and implement goals and objectives into national and local housing, services and infrastructure policy. For example, National Objective 3 of this strategy is to “enable people to age with confidence, security and dignity in their own homes and communities for as long as possible”. Objective 3.3 aims to “support the design and development of age-friendly public spaces, transport and buildings” so that they are sustainable and adaptable. Providing age-friendly infrastructure is absolutely vital to supporting the social and physical changes that go hand in hand. with aging. Frankly, universal design should be standard practice for planners and city planners, based on the principle that good design benefits all residents. When we design for young people, we exclude the old, but when we design for the old, we include everyone; whatever their physical, sensory, intellectual or mental abilities or disabilities. In Cork County Council's Older People's Services and Infrastructure Strategy (2014), they recommend the provision of practical advice on 'universal design' and 'building for all'. “A friendly city is a city without barriers, designed for diversity, inclusive and cohesive. This can make a city a city of choice for all generations. (World Health Organization, 2017) “Age-friendly cities design and adapt their natural and built environments for residents of all ages and abilities – accessible and safe road and transportation infrastructure, barrier-free access to buildings and to houses, public places and toilets”. facilities, among others. » (World Health Organization, 2017) “A built environment with universal and inclusive design, pedestrian-friendly and with well-connected road networks, has been shown to play an important role in facilitating mobility. access to facilities and services, supporting physical activity and allowing older people to socialize. (O'Brien, 2014) Features such as wide and well-maintained pathways, adequate seating with handles, greater connectivity and permeability of streets, third spaces such as community gardens, libraries and cafes, access public transport, densified mixed terrain. use - all of these and more give older people the confidence to stay independent and active. They encourage them to leave their homes and use facilities such as community centers and public spaces where they can have the opportunity to meet other people and have social interactions, voluntarily or by accident. (Alidoust and Bosman, 2015) According to the WHO global guide to age-friendly cities, “the city's landscape, buildings, transport system and housing contribute to safe mobility, healthy behaviors, social participation and self-determination or, conversely, isolation, inactivity and social exclusion that are too frightening.” It is therefore crucial for planners to facilitate this healthy lifestyle and integrate user-friendly infrastructure into developmentsof the public domain. Another challenge facing planners is the adequate provision of diverse social housing, either in the form of standard housing or sheltered housing. According to 2014 data collected for Cork City and County, local authority-owned housing primarily consists of three-bed housing units. The figures vary from 59 to 65% depending on the region, compared to 22 to 33% for two-bed accommodation, again depending on the region. However, the contrast is stark with only 5% of social housing stock comprising single-bed units. (Planning Policy Unit Cork County Council, 2014) This situation needs to be addressed as many older people may be living alone or with their partner after raising children who have now moved out and have lives of their own. the quality and suitability of housing stock for aging in place, for example in terms of insulation, heating/cooling, housing size and design. (Howden-Chapman, Signal, & Crane, 1999; Means, 2007; Wiles, Liebing, Guberman, Reeve, & Allen, 2012) Older people living in social housing can age in place either in standard homes or in sheltered homes , both options allowing anyone to live in the community. (Wiles, Liebing, Guberman, Reeve & Allen, 2012) A report produced by Cluid Housing, “A Home for Some of the Realities of Soviet Life through the Stories of Charlotte Lemonnier.” Charlotte was born in France and moved to Russia as a child. During the Revolution in Russia, she became a nurse for the Red Cross and witnessed the horrors of war and famine, as well as the dehumanizing development of the country. The two main results of the Russian Revolution of 1917 were the increase in poverty and the exploitation of the poor by the nobility. In the book, Charlotte witnesses many disabled soldiers from the war whom she calls "Samovars". The soldiers waited outside the market, “hanging out in their boxes…they confronted people at the exit, asking them for money or tobacco. Some gave in, others rushed… Charlotte stopped…” (Makine, 180). Charlotte takes some money out of her bag and gives it to one of the disabled soldiers. After that, the “samovars” begin to round her up, demanding more money and trying to steal it. She notices one of them approaching with a knife between his teeth, leading to a bloody fight between the disabled soldiers over money. Most people don't recognize disabled soldiers; they ignore the poor condition of others and continue shopping in the market. Charlotte, like her father, is different and wants to help those less fortunate. Charlotte's father is a respectable and wealthy doctor. One day, one of his patients told him about a large demonstration of workers which “would be greeted at a crossroads by machine gun fire” (Makine, 68 years old). Just after his patient leaves, the privileged doctor will notify the workers. When Charlotte tells this story to her grandson, the narrator, he is surprised to hear about a rich man helping the poor. He says: “we were accustomed to seeing the world in black and white: the rich and the poor, the exploiters and the exploited – in a word, the class enemies and the righteous” (Makine, 68). Obviously the narrator is unfamiliar with seeing this because his society is so clearly divided. Thanks to Charlotte, the young boy also discovers a Russia of which he did not know the existence. She teaches him about Soviet society, including famine, cruel injustice, misery and the endless chaos of war. As he grows up, his relationship with his grandmother changes and he visits her less.