Exploring University Age-Friendliness Using Collaborative Citizen Science

An environmental scan of methods for assessing age-friendliness in post-secondary institutions

The University of Calgary joined the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network in 2018. As part of our university's AFU action plan, a baseline assessment of the institution's age-friendliness will be conducted to identify areas of strength and growth. To inform our approach and that of other institutions undertaking this work, an environmental scan was performed to determine methods used by post-secondary institutions to date to assess age-friendliness. Both academic and grey literature published between 2012 and 2022 in the English language was searched using diverse keywords. The academic literature was identified from four databases (Abstracts in Social Gerontology, Academic Search Complete, Education Research Complete, Scopus) and the grey literature from 84 institutional websites of AFU Global Network members. Twelve academic sources and four grey sources were included in the analysis. Seven methods were used to assess age-friendliness, with the most common approaches being surveys, inventories, focus groups, interviews, and photovoice. The Age-Friendly Inventory and Campus Climate Survey (Silverstein et al., 2022) was selected to evaluate the University of Calgary's age-friendliness due to its alignment with all 10 AFU principles, comprehensiveness, and involvement of multiple stakeholders. Other post-secondary institutions should consider their context and resources when selecting an assessment method.

The Making of Age-Friendly Universities: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The age-friendly university (AFU) initiative embodies the collaborative efforts of promoting age inclusivity and diversity in higher education, embracing lifelong learning and civic participation in older people. This scoping review aims to explore the conceptualization of AFU, the experiences, and the strategies used in operationalizing the AFU principles of participating universities in becoming members of the age-friendly university network.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A search of peer-reviewed papers published from 2012 to July 2021, conducted in nine databases using JBI scoping review methodology, found 1,752 articles. Of these, 13 papers were eligible for inclusion.

RESULTS

Three themes were identified as key to becoming an AFU: (a) interdisciplinary collaboration within the university; (b) strong partnership with the community; and (c) alignment with global priorities and initiatives. Furthermore, identifying barriers to physical access in universities, such as signage, walkways, and transportation, addressing the less tangible issues of ageism and promoting intergenerational learning were essential to promote engagement of older people.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

This review underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach within the university, the reciprocal benefits of authentic university-community collaborations, and the advantages of harnessing international resources and global influence to becoming an AFU. Although the principles of the AFU remain aspirational, the ideals championed by the pioneering universities in the AFU network brought the mutual benefits of intergenerational learning, the challenges and support required for older learners to the fore, propelling the AFU agenda forward.

Engaging Nigerian Older Persons in Neighborhood Environment Assessment for Physical Activity Participation: A Citizen Science Project

Background and Objectives

Global organizations are advocating that older persons' voices should guide communities in age-friendly design. An important aspect of age friendliness to enable daily function and health is ensuring that physical activity can occur, regardless of age, within local neighborhoods.

Research Design and Methods

This study used a specific citizen science approach, Our Voice, to engage a sample (N = 13) of older adults (60 or older) in Festac Town, Nigeria. The citizen scientists' roles were to assess and identify how different aspects of the neighborhood environment act as supports or barriers to their physical activity participation. They were individually enabled using a tablet-based mobile application called the Stanford Healthy Neighborhood Discovery Tool to record a total of 156 geocoded photos and 151 commentaries of neighborhood environmental features that facilitate or hinder physical activity in and around their neighborhoods. In a guided process, the following occurred: collaborative discussions of findings with other citizen scientists to determine common targets, setting of priority targets for change, and brainstorming strategies and solutions.

Results

Facilitators of physical activity included: pedestrian and traffic facilities (e.g., traffic lights, walkways); green areas and parks; multigenerational community features (e.g., programs/facilities); opportunities for social connection (e.g., neighborhood associations, churches); safety of destinations and services; and public toilets. Barriers to physical activity included: hazardous walkways/traffic; noise pollution; refuse, selling of public parks; crime (e.g., kidnapping, criminal hideouts); no safe drinking water; and ageism. The priorities for changes were social connectivity; improved pedestrian and traffic facilities; and green and beautiful environments.

Discussion and Implications

In this study, both physical and social aspects of the environment were deemed important for older Nigerians to enable physical activity in their local community. This approach has a promise for age-friendly initiatives seeking local changes by meaningfully engaging older adults.

Laying the groundwork for an Age-Friendly University: A multi-method case study

As evidenced by the growing Age-Friendly University (AFU) global network, institutions of higher education are increasingly seeking to enhance the experiences of older adults accessing them for reasons such as lifelong learning, career development, and intergenerational engagement. This multi-method case study explored barriers, facilitators, and opportunities for an Oregon public university to engage its older community members and become more age-friendly as a new member of the AFU network. To gain an understanding of older community members' experiences with the university, researchers collected surveys from 46 members of the local senior center adjacent to campus and subsequently recruited and interviewed nine of the survey respondents. The researchers also used snowball and convenience sampling to recruit seven older adult research participants for participatory action research using photovoice, pairing the research participants with 12 students to capture their unique perspectives as they walked around the university campus. Findings revealed opportunities for the university to implement the AFU principles and increase age-friendliness, such as strengthening the senior center partnership, developing a lifelong learning center, and removing accessibility barriers. These findings will ultimately help shape the university's AFU vision moving forward and may provide insight for other universities working to become more age-friendly.

The Role of Citizen Science in Promoting Health Equity

While there are many definitions of citizen science, the term usually refers to the participation of the general public in the scientific process in collaboration with professional scientists. Citizen scientists have been engaged to promote health equity, especially in the areas of environmental contaminant exposures, physical activity, and healthy eating. Citizen scientists commonly come from communities experiencing health inequities and have collected data using a range of strategies and technologies, such as air sensors, water quality kits, and mobile applications. On the basis of our review, and to advance the field of citizen science to address health equity, we recommend (a) expanding the focus on topics important for health equity, (b) increasing the diversity of people serving as citizen scientists, (c) increasing the integration of citizen scientists in additional research phases, (d) continuing to leverage emerging technologies that enable citizen scientists to collect data relevant for health equity, and (e) strengthening the rigor of methods to evaluate impacts on health equity. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 43 is April 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Assessing Age Inclusivity in Higher Education: Introducing the Age-Friendly Inventory and Campus Climate Survey (ICCS)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

This study introduces a theoretical framework for assessing age inclusivity in higher education environments and describes the Age-Friendly Inventory and Campus Climate Survey (ICCS). The ICCS measures age-friendly campus practices as reported by administrators, perceptions of age friendliness by campus constituents, and the fit between objective practices and subjective perceptions as an overall indicator of age inclusivity.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The ICCS was administered at a public university in the northeastern United States. Administrators completed the Inventory of potential age-friendly campus practices associated with their units. Campus constituents (n = 688) completed the online Campus Climate Survey to assess subjective awareness of these practices, perceived age-friendliness, and personal beliefs about age inclusivity.

RESULTS

The Inventory yielded a score of 66% of potential age-friendly practices in place as reported by administrators. The Campus Climate Survey showed low overall perceptions of age-friendliness and varied beliefs about age inclusivity on campus. Fit was measured by comparing the Inventory practices and Campus Climate Survey awareness of the existence of 47 of 73 potential practices. Convergence on this campus showed an awareness of 36% of age-friendly practices.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Based on the proposed theoretical framework for age inclusivity, the ICCS offers a way of assessing the age-friendliness of the objective environment across campus functions, the subjective environment across campus constituents, and the fit between subjective and objective environments on campuses. The ICCS will help higher education institutions identify strengths and challenges for advancing age inclusivity.