Measuring and evaluating the indicators of an elderly friendly city Case study: Borazjan city

Subject Areas : Urban planning

mohammad  gholami ¹ (Assistant Professor of Geography, Payame Noor University, Iran)
gholamreza  amininejad ² (Assistant Professor of Geography, Payame Noor University, Ira)
khodakaram  bonari ³ (Master of Geography and Urban Planning, Payame Noor University, Iran)

Received: 2022-01-10 Accepted : 2022-02-23 Published : 2022-03-21

Keywords: Elderly Friendly City, Evaluation Indicators, Borazjan, public spaces,

Abstract :

            The Elderly Friendly City is defined as a comprehensive and accessible environment in the community that optimizes opportunities for health, participation and security to achieve quality, quality of life and dignity as we age. This study aims to evaluate and analyze the indicators of the elderly-friendly city in Borazjan. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical method. Also, in order to collect the required data and information, two library-documentary methods have been used and a questionnaire has been used in the survey section. The statistical population of the study is all elderly people in Borazjan with 8913 people based on the latest general population and housing census in 2016. Based on Cochran's formula and with an error coefficient of 5%, 368 people have been determined as the sample size of the research. Sampling method is available and the data collection tool in the survey section is a questionnaire with 32 items. In order to collect data in the survey section, 368 questionnaires were distributed in person among the elderly in Borazjan. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and Smart PLS software. The indicators presented in this research include (public spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, medical and health services, honoring the elderly and social respect, social participation and cultural and welfare affairs). The results show that the proposed indicators play an essential role in improving the elderly-friendly city. Accordingly, the fit of the research conceptual model showed that the mean variance of all indices is more than 0.50, which indicates convergent validity.Extended AbstractIntroduction:      In recent years, the importance of the elderly-friendly city has increased and led to the definition of different methods of evaluation and monitoring of the elderly-friendly city (Buckner et al, 2019: 205). The elderly. In fact, evaluating and monitoring cities from the perspective of an elderly friendly city is a prerequisite for creating a suitable environment for the elderly (Hosaingholizadeh et al, 2021: 374). One of the most important issues today is the issue of population, which has intensified in the 21st century as the issue of population aging and its consequences. Therefore, it can be said that the world is aging rapidly. As the population structure of most developed countries is aging several decades ago and also some developing countries in order to reduce fertility, death and dying and is in the stage of aging (aging) (Nasiri & reza ali, 2019: 74). The aging of the world's population has brought about changes in all sections of society. This increase in the elderly population is due to the correlation of various factors, including increased life expectancy and progress in health systems, public health and health. In 2017, the global population of people over 60 was 962 million and will continue to grow at an annual rate of 3%, so this figure is projected to double by 2050 and triple by 2100 (Flores et al, 2019) . Thus, for the first time in human history, the elderly population will outnumber the under-14 population. Our country, Iran, will also face an aging population in the near future. According to statistics, in 1996, the population over the age of 60 in our country was 6.6% of the total population, which in 2011 reached 8.2%, and the population over the age of 60 is expected to reach 10 million by 1400 (Ravani poor et al, 2009: 448). Therefore, due to the increasing urbanization and vulnerability of the elderly to environmental conditions, the need to pay attention to the issues and principles that provide comfort, security and tranquility of this age group is felt more than before planners at the macro level for not so long years according to planning Have a population with a pyramid. In this regard, due to demographic conditions and lack of sufficient studies to study the indicators of elderly friendly city in Borazjan, the present study was conducted to evaluate the indicators of elderly friendly city in this city. Therefore, the main issue of this study is to measure and evaluate the indicators of the elderly-friendly city in Borazjan. Accordingly, in this study, the indicators of public spaces of the city, transportation, housing, medical and health services, honoring the elderly and social respect, social participation and cultural and welfare affairs are used and the main hypothesis of the research is that "indicators The desired friendly city in Borazjan can be implemented and implemented.Methodology:       This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of research method. The elderly population of Borazjan, according to the data of the Statistics Center of Iran and the latest general population and housing census in 2016, is equal to 8913 people, which is equivalent to 8.06% of the total population of Borazjan, which is the statistical population of the study. Based on the calculation of Cochran's formula and with an error coefficient of 5%, 368 people were selected as the statistical sample of the study.Results and discussion:        Based on the research findings, it can be analyzed that the public spaces index plays a 66% role in explaining the elderly-friendly city. The transportation index plays a 75% role in explaining the elderly-friendly city. The housing index plays a 44% role in explaining the elderly-friendly city. The 71% social participation index plays a key role in determining the elderly-friendly city. The 60% Elderly Honor Index plays a role in creating an elderly-friendly city. Medical and health services play a 79% role in creating an elderly-friendly city. Welfare cultural affairs play a 61% role in explaining the elderly-friendly city.The results of fitting the conceptual model of the research are shown. The mean extracted variance of all indices is more than 0.50, which indicates convergent validity. Composite reliability, or McDonald's coefficient, also means coefficient of reliability, except that it takes into account the variable factor load in each option and gives you reliable results about the reliability or non-reliability of a measuring instrument. Which must have a value greater than 0.70. Also, the overall fit of the research conceptual model is 0.72, which indicates a very good fit for the model.Conclusion:        The title of this research is "Evaluation of the characteristics of an elderly friendly city in Borazjan" which has seven hypotheses. Hypothesis 1: Public spaces and city buildings play a role in improving the situation of the elderly-friendly city. Hypothesis 2: Transportation has an effect on improving the situation of the elderly-friendly city. Hypothesis 3: Housing has a role in improving the situation of the elderly-friendly city. Hypothesis 3: Housing has a role in improving the situation of the elderly-friendly city. Hypothesis 4: Medical and health services play a role in improving the situation of the elderly-friendly city. Hypothesis 5: Respect for the elderly and social respect play a role in improving the situation of the elderly-friendly city. Hypothesis 6: Social participation plays a role in improving the situation of the elderly-friendly city. Hypothesis 7: Cultural and welfare affairs play a role in improving the situation of the elderly-friendly city. In this study, Smart PLS software was used to fit the conceptual model, confirm or reject the hypotheses. In general, the research findings show that the research model was accepted by considering the extracted mean variance indices, composite reliability, Cronbach's alpha. The results of the analysis of demographic variables showed that most of the male respondents, in the age group of 70 years and above, include postgraduate education with 122 people and income from 2 to 3 million.

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