Age-Friendly Features in Home and Community and the Self-Reported Health and Functional Limitation of Older Adults: the Role of Supportive Environments

This study aims to identify age-friendly community features that are associated with better health for older adults. This cross-sectional study utilized the 2015 AARP Age-Friendly Communities (AFC) Survey, which includes 66 home and community features that fall within the eight domains specified by the World Health Organization (WHO)’s age-friendly cities guidelines. Two measures of health (self-rated health and functional limitations) were examined using multi-level linear and logistic regressions. Both a greater perceived availability of age-friendly features in communities and a good person-environment fit were associated with better self-rated health and a lower likelihood of reporting functional limitations. The domains of outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, and social participation and inclusion were consistently associated with these outcomes. Promoting age-friendliness in outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, and social participation and inclusion domains by providing green spaces, neighborhood safety programs, transportation options, and social opportunities may be the most effective way to support healthy and active aging.