Authors: Erik van Ossenbruggen, Thijs Fikken, Mats Stjernberg.

In the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2020–2030), the COVID-19 crisis raises the stakes in terms of the need for active and healthy ageing practices across the globe.  The resulting lockdowns and physical distancing practices challenge daily life as we know it. In our bustling, densely populated cities, the changes are enormous and our older citizens are among those most affected. In this crisis, the need for a long-term strategy on active and healthy ageing is more evident than ever.

The fact that most regions in Europe have experienced significant population ageing in the last two decades, and that this trend will continue in the coming decades, further underlines this notion.

Older people and COVID-19

COVID-19 sheds new light on the outcomes of the ESPON ACPA study – Adapting European Cities to Population Ageing. It is evident that the virus hits older people the hardest.

For example, in Spain, 90% of COVID-19-related victims are 65+ years old. A similar situation applies in other countries studied as part of ACPA, such as France (91%), the Netherlands (94%), Norway (96% 60+), Sweden (95% 60+) and the United Kingdom (87%). Unfortunately, data on COVID-19 at a detailed geographical (urban) level are not readily available for all stakeholder cities, and the relationship between COVID-19 and settlement size seems to be complex. In some countries, including Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, cities do not seem to be disproportionally affected.