Increasingly, policy makers and planners must develop strategies to cope with urban shrinkage. This paper proposes that active retirement migration and health tourism can be parts of such strategies. Shrinking cities, normally observed as less competitive, could develop advantages over other cities with respect to attracting retirees if their spatial conditions were used effectively. By converting vacant space or improving access to highquality green space, shrinking cities can attract retirees in search of quality of life, who in turn might represent a crucial catalyst in urban renewal for shrinking cities. The authors conclude that the potential of shrinking cities as green retirement cities can be considered by integrating existing research concepts: eg, green space typologies and the functionality of public space for older individuals. Furthermore, recent practical studies suggest that the potential for shrinking cities as retirement cities exists. However, the potential has led to specific policy to only a limited extent. Despite substantial opportunities, many challenges arise when this idea is put into practice. Therefore, recommendations are made at the end of this paper for addressing this topic in future research and urban planning. © Pion and its Licensors.

Shrinking cities as retirement cities? Opportunities for shrinking cities as green living environments for older individuals / Nefs, Merten.; Alves, Susana.; Zasada, Ingo.; Haase, Dagmar. - In: ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING A. - ISSN 0308-518X. - 45:6(2013), pp. 1455-1473. [10.1068/a45302]

Shrinking cities as retirement cities? Opportunities for shrinking cities as green living environments for older individuals

Alves Susana.;
2013

Abstract

Increasingly, policy makers and planners must develop strategies to cope with urban shrinkage. This paper proposes that active retirement migration and health tourism can be parts of such strategies. Shrinking cities, normally observed as less competitive, could develop advantages over other cities with respect to attracting retirees if their spatial conditions were used effectively. By converting vacant space or improving access to highquality green space, shrinking cities can attract retirees in search of quality of life, who in turn might represent a crucial catalyst in urban renewal for shrinking cities. The authors conclude that the potential of shrinking cities as green retirement cities can be considered by integrating existing research concepts: eg, green space typologies and the functionality of public space for older individuals. Furthermore, recent practical studies suggest that the potential for shrinking cities as retirement cities exists. However, the potential has led to specific policy to only a limited extent. Despite substantial opportunities, many challenges arise when this idea is put into practice. Therefore, recommendations are made at the end of this paper for addressing this topic in future research and urban planning. © Pion and its Licensors.
2013
Ageing; environmental affordances; green open space; living environment; quality of life; retirement migration; shrinking city; urban green space
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Shrinking cities as retirement cities? Opportunities for shrinking cities as green living environments for older individuals / Nefs, Merten.; Alves, Susana.; Zasada, Ingo.; Haase, Dagmar. - In: ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING A. - ISSN 0308-518X. - 45:6(2013), pp. 1455-1473. [10.1068/a45302]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1401435
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