Senior Living in the City
For generations, 默认的退休梦想是在绿树成荫的郊区或优雅的村庄过一种慢节奏的生活. “逃离乡村”是英国人心理的一部分，也是许多退休人员的首选, 但如今，一种截然不同的选择正成为一种日益增长的趋势——“逃往城市”。.
Historically, life in towns and cities was a necessity for defence, commerce and proximity to political power, but it came with an environment of unsanitary squalor. For those city dwellers that could afford one, 一个更宽敞的乡间庄园是必不可少的陪衬. 这在文化观念上播下了种子，使城市污垢和农村田园诗两极化. 当工业革命时期黑暗邪恶的工厂与丑陋的密集住宅区结合在一起时，对这座城市的妖魔化达到了顶峰. The reaction was a demand from ordinary people for space, light, greenery and fresh air: witness garden suburbs, homes for heroes 以及郊区不可阻挡的扩张在那里每个男人和女人都可以建造自己的城堡. 这种心态在很大程度上仍然普遍存在，但强大的社会和 demographic shifts are bringing changes. 对许多人来说，未来的退休生活看起来会有所不同，而且是城市生活.
越来越多的老年人为了城市的便利和社交而放弃搬到乡村
We are living longer and the proportion of older people is rising rapidly; we are staying active longer and expectations of life in retirement are significantly greater than only a generation ago; the distribution of wealth in society has shifted in favour of older generations who have benefited from rising property prices; and the quality of life in cities has improved significantly. 在英国的主要城市，城市生活在过去的二十年里得到了极大的扩展. Today, with sufficient funds, one can enjoy life in high quality, 环境紧密相连，文化和休闲机会不断扩大. 从郊区的家庭房产中抽调出来，将所得用于享受新的城市复兴，是当今老年人越来越多的选择.
这对我们计划、构建和管理的方式有很多启示 ‘age friendly cities’. Policy makers, design professionals, developers and public service providers, not least in healthcare, 必须认识到日益老龄化的城市人口将产生的需求和机会. 这些问题和影响在最近出版的论文中进行了探讨 ‘Ageing London’ prepared by the Mayor’s Design Advisory Group (MDAG). 该报告强调，到2030年，首都将进一步增长1%.500万美元，其中一个主要组成部分是延长寿命. 到2035年，60岁以上的人数将首次超过15岁以下的人数. The consequences for policy and placemaking are profound. How do we capture the economic benefit of active older people with skills and experience; ensure a supply of the right type of housing, in the right location, with the right social and support networks; create cohesive intergenerational communities; design public places and urban connections fit for an all-age-friendly city; and, importantly, 将广泛的问题和举措联系起来，以实现健康老龄化?
London is grasping the nettle but other cities, and the professionals that are shaping them, 他们也必须为城市里的老年人制定同样的日程吗.
