Are Our Cities Ready for a Rapidly Aging World?

Picture yourself in 2050. You’re 70, walking to a neighborhood park in Bandung. The sidewalks are smooth, buses have ramps, and a nearby clinic knows your medical history. Aging feels manageable—even empowering. But just a few hundred miles away, in smaller Indonesian cities without safe streets or accessible healthcare, older adults struggle with isolation, limited mobility, and fear of crime.

This is not a distant hypothetical. According to the United Nations, by 2050, one in four Indonesians—about 74 million people—will be over 60. More than half of them will live in cities. Whether these cities can adapt will determine whether aging becomes an era of dignity or hardship.

A new study provides answers by analyzing what really drives quality of life for older adults in Indonesia’s urban areas.

The Study: Mapping Comfort in 98 Cities

Researchers used a hedonic model: a tool economists use to put a value on intangible aspects of city life, like clean air or good transportation. They combined this with national socioeconomic surveys to build a Quality of Life (QoL) Index for older adults across 98 Indonesian cities.

The factors they studied included:

• Health facilities
• Safety and low crime rates
• Accessible public transportation
• Communication infrastructure (digital and social)
• Public spaces and pollution levels

They then examined how these elements shaped both the quality of life and the distribution of older adults across cities.

What the Findings Reveal

Cities on Java Lead the Way

Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Jakarta ranked among the most comfortable for older adults. These cities scored high because they already provide strong health facilities, transportation networks, and security measures.

Health Facilities Are Non-Negotiable

Older adults often face multiple health conditions at once—from diabetes to arthritis to cardiovascular disease. The study found that access to comprehensive healthcare was the single most important factor influencing whether older adults choose to stay in a city.

Safety Shapes Daily Life

Fear of crime discourages older adults from going outside, walking, or using public spaces. When older people feel unsafe, they often withdraw socially, which accelerates physical and mental decline. Cities with stronger safety measures saw higher retention of older populations.

Transportation = Independence

A bus with a low step can be the difference between a grandmother visiting her grandchildren or staying home alone. The research indicates that age-friendly transportation directly enhances independence, social connection, and overall life satisfaction.

Communication Keeps People Connected

Access to reliable communication—whether through smartphones, internet, or local networks—helped older adults stay connected to families, monitor health, and avoid isolation.

Why It Matters Beyond Indonesia

Indonesia is not alone. Globally, 2.1 billion people will be over 60 by 2050. Cities from New York to Nairobi will face the same challenge: how to redesign themselves to support aging populations.

The study highlights a universal truth: aging in place only works if cities actively adapt. Without intentional planning, urban centers risk becoming hostile to the very residents who built them.

The Hidden Cost of Inaction

Building age-friendly infrastructure requires investment, but the cost of neglect is far higher. Without accessible health care, crime prevention, or transportation, older adults face:

• Increased hospitalizations and health costs
• Higher levels of social isolation and depression
• Lower economic contributions to local communities

In contrast, cities that embrace older adults reap dividends: lower healthcare costs, stronger community ties, and active seniors who remain consumers, volunteers, and caregivers.

What’s Next for Policymakers

The authors argue that governments and the private sector must collaborate. National subsidies alone won’t cover the costs of age-friendly infrastructure. Public–private partnerships—for example, telecom companies improving digital access, or transit agencies redesigning buses—could accelerate progress.

For Indonesia, the concentration of development in capital cities like Jakarta and Bandung highlights another issue.

Equity.

Smaller cities like Palu or Gunung Sitoli lag behind, lacking basic health services or safe public spaces. Without deliberate investment, these cities risk becoming places older adults leave behind.

The Bigger Picture

The Indonesian study underscores a growing global movement: the push for “age-friendly cities.” From the WHO’s global network of age-friendly communities to local urban design experiments, the message is clear. A good city for older adults is a good city for everyone. Smooth sidewalks help parents with strollers. Safe buses help workers with disabilities. Parks and open spaces strengthen communities across generations.

Join the Conversation

If you’re reading this as a policymaker, health professional, or community advocate, the challenge is simple but urgent: aging is not a side issue—it is the future of our cities.

• How is your city preparing to support an aging population?
• Which investments—healthcare, transport, safety, or communication—would make the biggest impact where you live?
• What lessons can we take from Indonesia to ensure aging becomes a stage of empowerment rather than vulnerability?