Age-Friendly Rural Areas. The Challenges of Measurement and Evaluation in Czech Older Adults
Vol.15,No.1
Community and Space in Social Exclusion in Later Life
This article presents a study on the application of the age‑friendly measurement index
in the context of rural areas in the Czech Republic. Small cities and rural settlements comprise the great
majority of municipalities and face considerable ageing of their populations. The age‑friendliness concept
expresses how and to what extent communities offer a supportive environment that enables residents to grow
older actively within their families, neighbourhoods, and civil society together with extensive opportunities
for participation in the community. Amenities related to public spaces and transportation are key aspects
supporting these goals. The proposed measure uses the survey method to describe the perceptions of these
aspects by older inhabitants in settlements of various degrees of rurality. The more rural areas, as expected,
show fewer positive evaluations of outdoors amenities and transportation; however, this does not influence
outcome variables, such as reported happiness, subjective health or overall satisfaction. Discussion
of the content of the age‑friendly concept in rural contexts is provided.
rural areas; age‑friendliness; active ageing; measurement; methods; Czech Republic
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