-- In Manchester, England, an aging population has been made worse by high rates of chronic disease, which usually starts before somebody hits 65. So the city has started thinking of its seniors' policy in terms of people 50 or older, given their high unemployment and tendency to have medical conditions.
-- Seniors' policy doesn't always focus just on seniors. In Yokohama, Japan, where 22 percent of residents are 65 or older, the working-age population is falling, shrinking the tax base. The city is trying to attract younger families, including cutting the number of kids on child-care waitlists to zero.
The OECD report shows that most developed cities face a variation of the same basic challenges: increasing the supply of affordable and accessible housing, making it easier for the elderly to get around safely and stay active, and finding ways to provide social services and other care for less money.
For all the association between cities and young people, the advantages of urban living appear even more relevant for the elderly. Close-quarter living isn't everyone's preferred lifestyle, especially in the U.S. But the hallmarks of aging -- smaller households, more difficulty driving, the need for social interaction and proximity to services -- all point to the benefits of cities. Urban issues are becoming seniors' issues.