Abstract
Whilst cities can be sites of creativity, innovation, and change, they can also reproduce the conditions for the exclusion of vulnerable groups. Older people report experiencing specific barriers to accessing the city and are often excluded from the resources for ageing well. The smart city agenda has attempted to bring about technological change whilst also delivering improved quality of life for urban citizens. Smart technologies are a key element of the smart city and are viewed as having the potential to support the independence, autonomy, and well-being of older people. Yet, there has been little research exploring the role of the smart city in supporting the social inclusion of older people, nor any attempt to link this with key policy drivers on ageing e.g., age-friendly cities and communities. In response, the aim of this paper is to explore the experiences of older people living in a smart city in China and discuss how the smart city and age-friendly agenda can be brought together to support positive social outcomes for older people. The paper presents qualitative findings from a multi-methods approach, including semi-structured interviews, walking interviews and focus groups. A total of 64 older people participated in the research across three diverse neighbourhoods in the case study smart city of Chongqing, China. The findings identified opportunities in the development and deployment of smart city, including the potential for improved health and well-being and social connectedness. Yet in delivering on these benefits, a number of challenges were identified which may widen social inequalities, including inequities in access, issues of safety and security, and exclusion from the co-production of smart city policy and practise. The paper discusses the implications of the findings for future smart city policy and practise, specifically in delivering interventions that support older adults' social inclusion and the delivery of age-friendly cities and communities.
Highlights
Smart Cities: A Creative and Innovative Response to Ageing and Urbanisation?Innovative communication technologies enable us to share and communicate at a distance; the growth of infrastructure networks and the spread of digitisation of information have helped to speed up urban evolution in every aspect of society [1]
In order to understand how social inclusion amongst older people can be supported by the delivery of technological initiatives and smart city interventions, this research identified three key overarching themes through the interview data: (a) Challenges to Delivering Social Inclusion for Older People through Smart Cities; (b) Opportunities to Support Social Inclusion through Smart Cities; (c) Public Participation and (Dis)empowerment in Smart Cities; these were supported by five sub-themes
Through the five key themes presented in this paper, we have explored the role of smart city development in the lives of older people and its ability to support the ageing in place requirements of older people
Summary
Smart Cities: A Creative and Innovative Response to Ageing and Urbanisation?Innovative communication technologies enable us to share and communicate at a distance; the growth of infrastructure networks and the spread of digitisation of information have helped to speed up urban evolution in every aspect of society [1]. Smart Cities for Inclusive Ageing social impact, often in unintended ways [2]. Making the city smart is a relatively new urban development approach aimed at delivering sustainable urban environments through enhanced digital connectivity [3]. Whilst there is no consensus on the definition of a smart city [4, 5], principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and integration are closely entwined. The British Standards Institute (BSI) described a smart city as “the effective integration of physical, digital, and human systems in the built environment to deliver a sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive future for its citizens” [6]. Through information transformation, networks of participation and social engagement introduce a new and potentially radical approach to urban development and current planning practise [7]. The deployment of the smart city agenda has been heavily criticised, potentially opening up new forms of spatial inequalities as some groups remain digitally disconnected, and raising concerns about how smart cities can deliver inclusive outcomes for more vulnerable and hard to reach populations [12, 13]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
