Grant: Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program

Following the World Health Organization's efforts to help older adults live safer and healthier lives, the Age-Friendly Communities program started in Canada in 2006 to support the growing number of older Canadians. The goal of this program is to make cities and towns better for older people through community programs and environmental improvements. To do this, age-friendly communities focus on key areas aimed at improving older adults' quality of life, like outdoor spaces, social activities, and access to health services. Surveys are a valuable tool for assessing the quality of life of older adults in these communities. However, people with different backgrounds and experiences (e.g., age, gender, and race) may understand and answer survey questions in different ways. This project aims to improve how we assess quality of life in age-friendly communities by taking into account the diverse ways older adults understand and talk about their quality of life. This will help communities better plan services and supports that truly reflect what matters to diverse older adults.