World Health Organisation and Canada Quebec

Canada Quebec: In 2010 the capital of Burgundy became the lead partner in a network of towns, Villes Amies des A ns, in four French-speaking countries France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada Quebec . On 30 June it held its second annual forum in Paris. The network, which is chaired by Fran ois Rebsamen, the former Socialist mayor of Dijon and current minister of labour, now comprises about 30 French municipalities, including Bordeaux, Toulon, Nice and Toulouse. The World Health Organisation coordinates the corresponding global network, Age-friendly Cities , with about 1,000 members worldwide. City councillors from Shanghai visited Dijon recently to view its achievements, according to The Guardian. In practical terms this means, for instance, that eight fold-down seats have been fitted in the covered market, so shoppers can catch their breath without upsetting the stall-holders who sometimes need the space. There is also an experimental scheme to take people to the market and deliver their purchases and When you reach a certain age, the difference between a friendly place and a hostile one may depend on apparently insignificant details. Like benches, essential if you need a rest, or steps that can delay you or trip you up, and of course shops and public transport. As studies have shown, movement is a key factor in ageing well and isolation should be avoided at all costs. "A little activity does a huge amount to slow ageing," says Christiane Gindre, a pensioner and member of the Age Observatory in Dijon . This city in eastern France is working to ensure that planners and other public services make full allowance for such factors. As in many other places, Dijon population is ageing. "The authoritie usual response is to lay on services: clubs, meals, home-helps and specialist amenities for looking after those in need of care," says Pierre-Olivier Lefebvre, tasked with senior policies at the city council and delegate-general for the French-speaking network. "But recent retirees will no longer accept that. They want services but also to use public transport and go on shopping at the market. They want to carry on operating as conventional residents." (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.