Abstract
The growth of age-friendly community initiatives underscores a paradigmatic shift from the individual to the community, addressing dynamic transactions between people and the environment they are living in. The purpose of the present study is to address the gap in existing research by examining the psycho-social effects of the sense of community in mediating between WHO domains of age-friendliness and the life satisfaction of older adults. Data were obtained from 898 participants in Hong Kong. Path analysis was conducted. Two AFC domains, Social Participation as well as Community Support and Health Services, were found to be associated with life satisfaction. Sense of community was found to mediate between these two domains and life satisfaction. The implications of these findings are discussed with reference to developing opportunities in social participation of older adults and enhancing community/health support services in the context of developing sustainability in the community.
Highlights
The composition of local communities and wider societies is rapidly changing, as population aging increases at an unprecedented rate
The purpose of the present study is to address this research gap by examining the effects of the sense of community in mediating between WHO domains of age-friendliness and the life satisfaction of older adults
The objective of the present study is to address this gap in existing research by examining the role of sense of community in mediating the effects of agefriendliness on life satisfaction in Hong Kong’s aging population
Summary
The composition of local communities and wider societies is rapidly changing, as population aging increases at an unprecedented rate. According to the World Health Organization (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015a), the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double from 12 to 22% between 2015 and 2050. The older population is growing faster in urban areas than in rural areas. According to the United Nations (2017), between 2000 and 2015, the global number of people aged 60 years or over increased by 68% in urban areas, compared to a 25% increase in rural areas. Older adults are increasingly concentrated in urban areas, with 58% of the world population aged 60 years or over residing in urban centers. China’s population is aging at a faster rate than almost all other countries (United Nations, 2017). According to the Hong Kong Population Projections for 2012 to 2041, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over will rise
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