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Beşiktaş: 65+ Living Office: Promoting Active and Participatory Ageing in Beşiktaş

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The 65+ Living Office helped transform Beşiktaş into a pioneering "Age-Friendly" district by establishing Türkiye's first dedicated Gerontology Office within a local government. Beşiktaş faces a unique demographic challenge: it hosts one of the highest senior populations in the country at 17.3% (well above the national average of 10.6%), while its daytime population surges to 3 million due to its role as a central hub. This creates significant barriers for seniors regarding social isolation, "senior poverty," and urban accessibility within an aging building stock.

The practice followed a multidisciplinary and participatory methodology. It began with Age-Friendly Beşiktaş Workshops, where 79 experts from 19 disciplines co-designed a strategic roadmap. A standout innovation was the "Aging Experience Workshops," where 638 municipal personnel and local muhtars physically simulated the challenges of aging to foster an empathy-based service culture.

Over the past four years, the office has directly reached 4,000 beneficiaries. Led by specialized Gerontologists and an Architect, the office provides:

  • Scientific Screenings: Conducting MMSE/Mini-Cog cognitive tests and "Needs Assessments" to create personalized care plans.

  • Gerontomimari: An award-winning project that provides customized home modifications to prevent falls, offered free of charge to financially disadvantaged seniors.

  • Podology: Türkiye's first municipal clinical foot health unit for seniors aged 75+.

  • Digital Inclusion: Digital Literacy Classes to bridge the generational divide and ensure access to digital public services.

  • Age-Friendly Urban Design: The "Akat Neighborhood Exercise Area," designed based on senior feedback, which received the 2024 Golden Ant Award.

By centralizing fragmented services under one roof, the 65+ Living Office ensures that seniors are not merely passive recipients of aid but active participants in urban life. The practice has institutionalized participatory democracy by involving residents in every stage—from feedback surveys to design workshops—ensuring that Beşiktaş remains a safe, inclusive, and dignified territory for its most experienced citizens.

Learn more about: https://besiktas.bel.tr/projeler/65-yasam-ofisi/ 

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Beşiktaş: 65+ Living Office: Promoting Active and Participatory Ageing in Beşiktaş

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