Scaling the voice of older adults: reflections on co-creating healthy ageing smart communities

In this session Associate Professor Ann Borda (University of Melbourne) and Professor Sonja Pedell (Swinburne University) explore the barriers and opportunities of co-creating smart communities for healthy ageing.

Watch the recording below.

The presenters discuss the need for a bottom up approach to understand how to involve healthcare providers, staff, and service users in co-creating healthy aging services, and share two ‘smart community’ case studies informed by citizen science and centred on the involvement of multiple stakeholder groups. The first one focuses on older adults using activity wearables for daily health self-management in their neighborhood, and the second one on older adults engaged in social prescribing activities.

The presenters offer reflections on the relationship of emotions, values and motivational goals of older adults to their participation and empowerment and to future opportunities for age-friendly communities and cities.