Since 2017, the concept of “Age-Friendly City” has been central to the mission of the Health and Care department of the city of Ghent. The policy document “Ghent, age-friendly city” is structured according to the 8 policy domains put forward by the World Health Organization.

We are convinced that a widely supported policy for older persons can only be realized through an integrated vision of ageing and a thorough collaboration between policy, older persons, and internal and external partners across various policy domains. Therefore, the mission of the Health and Care department is defined as follows: “By 2025, Ghent will be an age-friendly city, where every Ghent resident can age healthily and actively, participate to the fullest and meaningfully in society, and live independently and with quality in their neighborhood for as long as possible. Together with all Ghent residents and partners, we work towards tailored services and care, based on the strengths and wishes of the inhabitants.”
Participation is a crucial theme structurally embedded within the vision and operation of the city across all services and policy domains. Older persons are actively involved in the formation, drafting, and realization of various policy documents. We continue to invest in a constructive collaboration and co-creation with older persons in the implementation of policies, thus anchoring the interests of older persons in the eight life domains of an age-friendly city.
An age-friendly city removes barriers in all policy domains and provides every older person the opportunity to participate in all aspects of societal life. This entails the city’s commitment to accessible services in the broadest sense. We focus on strengthening the informal network where neighbors, friends, acquaintances, and caregivers are indispensable links. Quality, independent, and affordable housing is also a major challenge for urbanized Ghent. Continuous efforts are required to develop a diversified, contemporary, and affordable housing supply that balances housing, well-being, and care. At the neighborhood level, we continue to implement tailored approaches aiming for the development of age-friendly neighborhoods with a wide range of services, housing options, and functions to ensure everything is within the vicinity of the neighborhood.
As a city, we have the ambition to mobilize all Ghent residents, internal and external partners, in the years to come to further build this age-friendly city. The Health and Care department aims to act as a bridge to other departments and engage in continuous dialogue between internal city services on one hand and Ghent citizens, associations, and organizations on the other hand. Joining the international network of ‘Age-Friendly Cities’ is considered a lever to realize this ambition.