Ireland has one of the youngest populations in Europe. However, since the 1980s, there is evidence to suggest an aging population and this phenomenon is set to continue as the baby boom generation approaches its retirement years. According to CSO 2016, the number of people over the age of 65 has increased 19.1% since the last census, compared to a 6.5% decrease in the 19-24 age group. Globally, it is estimated that between 2000 and 2050, the percentage of the population aged over 60 will double, from approximately 11% to 22%, for a total of approximately 2 billion people, of which 395 millions will be over 80 years old. By 2050, older adults will outnumber all children under the age of 14. Most of this aging will take place in urban areas. (World Health Organization, 2017) The aging population is considered a great triumph for society as it witnesses factors such as improved quality of housing and living conditions, improved public health, and medical and scientific advances. However, there is no doubt that this unprecedented demographic transition could have profound economic, social and political implications. Therefore, it is imperative that planners now begin implementing strategies and providing services and infrastructure to address the challenges this transition will pose. “The growing relevance of the aging population structure on the political agenda cannot be disputed.” (Hockey, Phillips, & Walford, 2013) This essay will discuss the planning challenges posed by an aging population; create policies, provide infrastructure and ensure a diverse social housing stock. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay “Aging in place” has been defined as “remaining living in the community, with some level of independence, rather than in residential care” (Davey, de Joux, Nana, & Arcus, 2004, pp. 133). Aside from the broad consensus that people remaining in their own homes is desirable for economic reasons over residential care, studies show that people prefer to remain in the comfort of their own home and familiar community environment. “An initial problem for planners in developing their understanding of the spatial experience of older adults stems from the breadth of the concept, which requires the assimilation and translation of knowledge from a wide range of disciplines, including gerontology, geography , urban planning and psychology”. (Hockey, Phillips, & Walford, 2013) One way to overcome this fundamental challenge is to develop a multidisciplinary approach to policymaking by analyzing data such as demographics, employment statistics, and school enrollment data in order to predict what demand will be. . The Royal TownPlanning Institute, which represents the planning profession, has sought to fill this gap in knowledge by publishing guides such as 'Planning for an Aging Population', 'Planning for an Aging Society' and 'Housing for an Aging Population'. The World Health Organization's Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities includes more than 500 cities and communities in 37 countries, all working with a similar goal in mind; improve their physical and social environments to enable healthy aging and issues related to underweight: built environment, social participation, housing, social respect and inclusion, transport, civic participation and employment, communication and information, community support and health services. This goal led Ireland toadopt its National Strategy for Positive Aging, a high-level document published in 2013, the vision of which states that “Ireland must be an all-ages society that celebrates and prepares appropriately for individual and population ageing ”. Planners need to engage with strategies like these and implement goals and objectives into national and local policy for housing, services and infrastructure. For example, national goal 3 of this strategy is “to enable people to age with confidence, security and dignity in their homes and communities for as long as possible”. Objective 3.3 aims to “support the design and development of age-friendly public spaces, transport and buildings” so that they are long-lasting and adaptable. Providing age-friendly infrastructure is absolutely vital to supporting the social and physical changes that go hand in hand with aging. Frankly, universal design should be standard practice for urban planners and designers based on the assumption that good design benefits all residents. When you plan for the young you exclude the elderly, but when you plan for the old you include everyone; whatever their physical, sensorial, intellectual, mental capacity or disability. In Cork County Council's Strategy for Services and Infrastructure for Older People (2014), practical guidance provisions on 'Universal Design' and 'Building for All' are recommended. “The age-friendly city is barrier-free, designed for diversity, inclusive and cohesive. It can create a city, a city of choice for all generations." (World Health Organization, 2017) “Age-friendly cities design and adapt their natural and built environments for residents of all ages and abilities: accessible and safe road and transport infrastructure, barrier-free access to buildings and homes, public seating and sanitation facilities, among others." (World Health Organization, 2017) "A built environment characterized by universal and inclusive design, suitable for pedestrians and with well-connected road networks, has proven to have a significant role in facilitating access to facilities and services, supporting physical activity and enabling older people to socialise”. (O'Brien, 2014) Features such as wide and well-maintained pavements, adequate seating with handholds, increased street connectivity and permeability, third spaces such as community gardens, libraries and cafes, access to public transport, densified mixed land use: all of these and more gives older people the confidence to remain independent and active. They encourage them to leave their homes and use facilities such as community centers and public spaces where they can have the opportunity to meet other people and have social interactions, either intentionally or by accident. (Alidoust and Bosman, 2015) According to the WHO Global Age-Friendly Cities guide, “the city's landscape, buildings, transport system and housing contribute to safe mobility, healthy behaviours, social participation and self-determination or, on the contrary, too fearful isolation, inactivity and social exclusion". Therefore, it is crucial that planners facilitate this healthy lifestyle and incorporate infrastructure conducive to public space developments. Another challenge planners face is the adequate provision of diverse social housing, both in the form of standard housing and sheltered housing. According to 2014 data collected for the city and county of Cork, local authority-owned housing consists mainly of three-bed units. The figures vary from 59% to 65% depending on theregion, compared to 22%-33% for two-bed units, again depending on the region. However, there is a stark contrast with only 5% of social housing stock being one-bed dwellings. (Planning Policy Unit Cork County Council, 2014) This needs to be corrected as many older people may be living alone or with their partner after raising children who have now moved on and have lives of their own. the quality and suitability of the housing stock for aging in place, for example, in terms of insulation, heating/cooling, housing size and design.” (Howden-Chapman, Signal, & Crane, 1999; Means,2007; Wiles, Liebing, Guberman, Reeve & Allen, 2012) Older people living in social housing can age in both standard and sheltered homes; both options allow person to live community. (Wiles, Liebing, Guberman, Reeve & Allen, 2012) A report produced by Cluid Housing, 'A home for some realities of Soviet life through the stories of Charlotte Lemonnier. Charlotte was born in France and moved to Russia as a child. During the Revolution in Russia, she becomes a Red Cross nurse and witnesses the horrors of war and famine, as well as the dehumanizing development within the country. The two main results of the Russian Revolution of 1917 include increased poverty and the exploitation of the poor by the nobility. In the book, Charlotte witnesses many disabled soldiers from the war who she calls "Samovar". Soldiers waited outside the market, “walking in their boxes…confronting people at the exit, asking them for money or tobacco. Some people gave, others rushed by…Charlotte stopped…” (Makine, 180). Charlotte takes the money out of her purse and gives it to one of the disabled soldiers. After doing this, the "samovars" begin to crowd her, demanding more money and trying to steal it. He notices one of them coming towards them with a knife between his teeth, which results in a bloody fight between the disabled soldiers over the money. Most people don't recognize disabled soldiers; they ignore the poor state of others and continue shopping at the market. Charlotte, like her father, is different and wants to help those less fortunate. Charlotte's father is a respectable and wealthy doctor. One day, he hears from one of his patients about a large workers' demonstration that "would be greeted at one of the intersections with machine gun fire" (Makine, 68). Immediately after the patient's departure, the privileged doctor goes to warn the workers. When Charlotte tells this story to her nephew, the narrator, he is surprised to hear about a rich man who helps the poor. He says, “we were accustomed to seeing the world in black and white: the rich and the poor, the exploiters and the exploited – in a word, the class enemies and the righteous” (Makine, 68). Evidently, it is unfamiliar to the narrator to see this because his society is so clearly divided. From Charlotte, the boy also learns about a Russia he never knew existed. He teaches him about Soviet society, including famine, cruel injustice, misery, and the endless chaos of war. As he grows up, his relationship with his grandmother changes and he doesn't visit her as often. Towards the end of the book, the narrator (nephew) lives in France and leaves his job at the radio station. He runs out of money quite quickly and has to seek refuge in a family grave in a cemetery, which he calls home. He begins to have suicidal thoughts because he doesn't think the poor life he is living is worth living. He reflects on what he considers a worthless life: And also the idea that one day I will have to leave this life, that I have to break away from the little that still tied me to those autumn days, to that city, to kill myself,.