We really should have seen the crisis coming. It isn’t if older people are a forgotten minority. Most of us, whether or not we are old, interact with people who are on a daily basis. And much of our daily fodder in the media tells us about the threat of the “silver tsunami” that is about to hit us.
The World Health Organisation’s campaign to create a global network of “age-friendly cities” – with easy access to buildings and facilities, better public transport, underpinned by slower paced and stronger communities – is gathering support. But during an age of austerity and continued cuts, is it realistic to expect UK local authorities to invest in a set of principles that look to have a potentially vast price tag?