PLANNING FOR AN AGE FRIENDLY CITY: A CASE OF THRISSUR, KERALA

Abstract

Population ageing and urbanisation together create a major planning challenge, and WHO frames an age-friendly city as one that supports active ageing by optimising health, participation, and security to enhance quality of life as people age. In practical planning terms, this requires cities to adapt structures and services to be accessible and inclusive for Senior citizens (people aged 60 and above) with varying needs and capacities, using an integrated approach domains assessed across eight interlinked domains of city living rather than isolated projects. Building on this, the thesis adds a Kerala-specific layer: mobilising Thrissur’s literate older population as a community asset (“senior resource”) to strengthen support through volunteering programmes, mentoring programmes, employment and entrepreneurships, aiming to increase social security and productivity while improving everyday access and to assess the age friendliness of the Thrissur city through WHO’s eight age friendly domains