Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 May 11;8(3):52.
doi: 10.3390/geriatrics8030052.

Enhancing Community Participation through Age-Friendly Ecosystems: A Rapid Realist Review

Judith Sixsmith  1 , Meiko Makita  1 , Deborah Menezes  2 , Marianne Cranwell  1 , Isaac Chau  1 , Mark Smith  3 , Susan Levy  3 , Pat Scrutton  4 , Mei Lan Fang  1
Affiliations
Review

Enhancing Community Participation through Age-Friendly Ecosystems: A Rapid Realist Review

Judith Sixsmith et al. Geriatrics (Basel). .

Abstract

This rapid realist review explored the key components of age-friendly ecosystems that promote community participation among older adults. The study (undertaken in 2021 and updated in 2023) synthesized evidence from 10 peer-reviewed and grey literature databases to identify the underlying mechanisms and contextual factors that shape why, under what circumstances, and for whom an age-friendly ecosystems might be effective as well as the intervention outcomes. A total of 2823 records were initially identified after deduplication. Title and abstract screening produced a potential dataset of 126 articles, reducing to 14 articles after full text screening. Data extraction focused on the contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes of ecosystems for older adults' community participation. Analysis suggested that age-friendly ecosystems that aim to promote community participation are characterized by the provision of accessible and inclusive physical environments, the availability of supportive social networks and services, and the creation of opportunities for meaningful engagement in community life. The review also highlighted the importance of recognizing the diverse needs and preferences of older adults and involving them in the design and implementation of age-friendly ecosystems. Overall, the study has provided valuable insights into the mechanisms and contextual factors that contribute to the success of age-friendly ecosystems. Ecosystem outcomes were not well discussed in the literature. The analysis has important implications for policy and practice, emphasizing the need to develop interventions that are tailored to the specific needs and contexts of older adults, and that promote community participation as a means of enhancing health, wellbeing, and quality of life in later life.

Keywords: age-friendly; community participation; ecosystem; older adults; older people.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Theoretical framework guiding the RRR. Source: Own elaboration—adapted from Alam’s [43].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Office for National Statistics Living Longer: How Our Population Is Changing and Why It Matters. [(accessed on 19 August 2021)]; Available online: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarri....
    1. World Health Organization Ageing and Health. [(accessed on 9 March 2023)]. Available online: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health.
    1. United Nations World Social Report 2023: Leaving No One Behind in An Ageing World; Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations. 2023. [(accessed on 9 March 2023)]. Available online: https://desapublications.un.org/file/1087/download.
    1. Center for Ageing Better The State of Ageing. 2022. [(accessed on 9 March 2023)]. Available online: https://ageing-better.org.uk/state-of-ageing.
    1. Office for National Statistics UK Population Estimates. [(accessed on 9 March 2023)];2021 Available online: http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigratio....

LinkOut - more resources