ABSTRACT
Promoted by the World Health Organization, Age-friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC) projects are multiplying, presenting variations related to national contexts and methodologies put in place to support the involvement of older adults. Participation is modulated according to local policies, environments, methods of participation, profiles of older adults, local actors, etc. Considering the aim of social inclusion, participatory process, empowerment, and collaborative partnership, many differences exist between AFCC projects.
This chapter proposes a comparative dialogue on participatory methods of AFCC with an emphasis on their challenges, effects, strengths, and limits. In this perspective, four AFCC case studies crossing different French-speaking contexts of Europe and Canada will be presented and analyzed. The first one is about older adults’ participation within the management of cities (Quebec, Canada). The second concerns older adults of a rural territory, participatory practices, and inclusive process (France). The third case observes a French minority community and the challenges of mobilizing social actors on a community housing project for older adults (New Brunswick, Canada). The fourth analyzes the role of committed actors and the potential for social change through the empowerment of older adults (Wallonia, Belgium).
