Urban environments to support healthy cognitive aging

Cognitive functioning impacts older adults’ wellbeing, quality of life, and ability to live independently. As the proportion of people over 65 increases, and urban populations grow, it is important to ensure that everyday environments support healthy cognitive aging. Urban environmental factors are known to influence cognitive health or decline, but practical tools to assess neighborhood environmental supportiveness for brain health are lacking.
This project will develop an index of environmental factors that support healthy cognitive aging, for ages 65+. From frameworks for healthy aging, expert consultation, and location-based environmental measures, an index will be developed and mapped across Canadian and US cities. Links between index scores at participant home locations and measures of cognitive function will be examined, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging, and Health and Retirement Study.
This research will advance knowledge of urban exposures and cognitive functioning in later life. The index will allow assessment of everyday local exposures linked to cognitive aging and enable evaluation of equitable access to urban environments that support healthy cognition.