Author | Jaime RamosThe number of people aged 60 years or older will rise from 900 million to 2 billion between 2015 and 2050, according to the World Health Organization. This will mean an increase of 10%. Are urban environments prepared for this pace of population aging?In demographic terms, higher life expectancy is one of the main reasons for this phenomenon. By 2050, an increase of 5 years is expected, bringing the average length of life globally to 77.1 years. One of the direct results of the existence of an older population is the higher proliferation of diseases associated with their age group.
Do urban environments have an effect on cognitive responses?
Alzheimer’s is one of the most common diseases among older people. The Alzheimer’s Association in the United States indicates that 10% of people age 65 and older has this disease. Associated with the loss of memory, Alzheimer’s leads to increasingly severe degenerative symptoms as a result of a process in which connections between networks of neurons break down.Given its characteristics, the disease requires a high level of care. Because nobody should face this type of cognitive impairment alone. Fortunately, experts, such as the urban planner Samantha Biglieri, have identified areas of invention that could facilitate the lives of people with Alzheimer’s.What can cities do to help people with Alzheimer’s?
