ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the role of older residents as local agents of urban change. It will explore how older people enact agency by engaging in the development and production of urban space, thereby radically shifting the narrative on ageing in place, from one which predominantly views older adults as recipients or adaptive users of social resources and support, towards one which recognises older people’s “right to the city” and their fundamental contributions in shaping the individual and collective experience of ageing in place. The chapter discusses a variety of strategies employed by older people in appropriating, participating, or taking proactive action in their neighbourhoods to create and sustain environments that meet their needs; these range from engaging in place-making practices to participating in neighbourhood governance. The chapter also examines how digital media can support older people in their efforts to influence urban planning strategies and discusses some of the main barriers to enact agency, including the impact of ageism, power relations, and the struggle for equal rights to the city. The conclusion presents an argument for a community participation approach to urban planning, one which facilitates the active involvement of people of all ages, including older adults with diverse identities, capabilities, needs, and aspirations.
