Inclusive Transformation of Age-Friendly Communities Based on Digital Technology Support

Abstract

The world’s population is ageing. New measures and concepts of population ageing are significant for assessing the living conditions and living arrangements of the elderly, their contributions to society, and their needs for social protection and health care. In 2018 the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report subtitled “Looking back over the last decade, looking forward to the next”, which explicitly mentions technology as a support for age-friendly environments. Although the WHO has discussed the involvement of technology and computers in terms of access to information etc., and uses technology as a “supplementary indicator” regarding “internet access,” in 2019 Marston and van Hoof are critical of WHO’s Age-Friendly Cities and Communities model, which lacks reference to and recognition of technological solutions in multiple domains. Increasingly, scholars are finding recognition of the importance of technology and digitalisation as the third pillar of age-friendly cities and communities, particularly in terms of use-friendly and sustainable design, acceptance of technology, and implementation and caregiver needs. The creation of genuine multisectoral action based on cooperation between the various disciplines make it possible to achieve a truly age-friendly society for present and future generations. In the context of active ageing and global digital trends, this study focuses on the analysis of two digital practices (digital twins and artificial intelligence) in the built environment of age-friendly communities, discusses inclusive transformation strategies for age-friendly communities, presents a proposed framework for inclusive digital age-friendly community transformation, illustrates future trends in age-friendly community design planning, and provides a reference point for future research.