Valparaiso-Chile: Towards a senior-citizen-friendly town? by VIvir enValpo

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Researcher Giulietta Fadda Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal. Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality Qualityof ofLife Lifeof ofthe theSenior SeniorCitizen Citizenin inan a Urban Urban Habitat: Habitat: Valparaiso. Valparaiso. Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso. Researcher Giulietta Fadda

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Valparaiso-Chile: Towards a Senior Citizen-Friendly Town?

Giulietta Fadda1, Alejandra Cortés2 and Alessandra Olivi3

1 Facultad de Arquitectura, Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile. 2 Carrera de Arquitectura, Universidad F. Santa María, Chile. 3 Centro de Investigación Sociológica , U. de Valparaíso, Chile.

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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This Presentation is part of the Research Project titled “Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Environment: Valparaiso, a Case Study” .

It shows the first advances of this research: i.e. the results obtained in a field research, in which with the support of some GIS maps, the Focus Group Method was applied Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

Nº 1061179 – 2006 FONDECYT

In order to establish their possible relationships in the urban context of Valparaiso, one of the main objectives of this research is to integrate the concepts of: - Quality of Life - Aging - Urban Sustainability & - Neighborhood and then to determine how certain conditions in the urban environment impact the quality of life of the eldest group of the population. Due to time constraints, I will not expand upon these concepts, but rather proceed with empirical data. Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

Nº 1061179 – 2006 FONDECYT

CONTENTS

PRELIMINARY RESULTS:

VALPARAISO AS A CASE STUDY

1. SENIOR´S PERCEPTION OF VALP’s. URBAN ENVIRONMENT 2. SENIOR´S PERCEPTION OF THE SOCIAL NETWORKS 3. CONCLUSIONS

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

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Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

VALPARAÍSO as a Case Study Valparaiso is an especially interesting case: - Because it has the highest aging rate among the 3 major Chilean cities. According to the Census 2002: 3 Major Chilean Cities

% Senior Citizens

N° Senior Citizens

Valparaiso District

13.94

38.481

Concepcion District

11.71

25.297

Santiago Metropolitan Region

11.05

669.543

11.4

1.717.478

Chile

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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- Valparaiso has some characteristics t h a t may prove either advantageous or disadvantageous for the urban integration of senior citizens. - Valparaiso, among other things, is known for being • a coastal town • a patrimonial and cultural center • topographically unique

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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Source: PRDUV, 2006

The geography of Valparaiso, though formed by various unique areas, is characterized by the consistency of its urban development. Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

Nº 1061179 – 2006 FONDECYT

The urban network is composed of a northern-oriented bay on a narrow coastal plane, surrounded by 42 hills forming an amphitheater overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

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Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile. Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Delimited by a set of hillsNeighborhood equipment

PORT BOARDER

PLANE AREA of VALPARAÍSO

Every hill is connected to the plane by a system of routes and form independent units

PACIFIC OCEAN

This total area forms the Valpsos’s urban network

PACIFIC OCEAN

AV. BRASIL

URBAN STRUCTURE OF VALPARAISO

PACIF IC OCEAN

TIN

GEN . AR

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

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Sea shore - Plane area – Metropolitan equipment

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

Source: PRDUV, 2006

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

Nº 1061179 – 2006 FONDECYT

PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS

Programa de Recuperación y Desarrollo Urbano de Valparaíso

VALPSOs THREE LEVELS: & ITS PUBLIC SPACE SYSTEM

SQUARES & METROP EQUIPMENT

UPPER HILLS

MEDIUM

CONNECTING ELEMENTS

VIEWING-POINTS

+200

+50

PLANE AREA

Sea level = 0.0

Schematic Sectional view

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Source: PRDUV, 2006

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

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Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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Connecting elements: ASCENSORES (tram, or cable car elevators)

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile. Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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•

Based on a theoretical study of the concept of neighborhood and on a more detailed urban analysis, we defined 97 neighborhoods (downtown and in the hills)

•

Complementing the previous study, we generated 21 GIS thematic maps containing information from the last Census (2002)

•

All this served to define the criteria used in the selection of the focal groups: 1.

Areas with a high percentage of Senior citizens

Socio-economic differences

Ecological zones: Location in a number of neighborhoods throughout the city (2 downtown and 2 in the hills) Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Foto Aérea Bahía de Valparaíso

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

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GIS MAP 1

VALPARAISO: The 800 blocks with the most senior inhabitants

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GIS MAP 2

VALPARAISO: % of precarious housing per the total no. of dwellings per block

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C° Alegre

FG4

Pza. Victoria

FG2

GIS MAP 3

VALPARAISO: From the 800 blocks with the most senior inhabitants and precarious housing

Almendral

FG1 C° Barón

FG3

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Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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FOCUS GROUPS IDENTIFICATION FOCUS GROU P

SECTOR

FG 1

Almendral

DOWNTOWN/HILLS

SOCIOECONOMIC CARACTERISTIC More Vulnerability

Downtown FG 2

Plaza Victoria

Less Vulnerability

FG 3

Cerro Barón

More Vulnerability Hills

FG 4

Cerro Alegre

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Less Vulnerability

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

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Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS OF FGs:

THE QUALITY OF URBAN LIFE AS PERCEIVED BY SENIOR CITIZENS OF VALPARAISO i.e. THE IMPACT THAT THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT OF VALPARAISO HAS ON THE OLDER GROUP OF ITS INHABITANTS Through the Focus Group application, we tried to capture senior citizens’ qualitative perceptions of their environment, Specifically: 1. The perception of Valparaiso´s urban environment Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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1. Perception of Valparaiso’s Urban Environment

There are two perspectives: The visitors’ perspective gives them the ability to look at the city from the outside and imagine themselves in a new and different picture: full of positive attributes and picturesque aspects even if they are not relevant to their quality of life The inhabitants’ perspective concentrates on the access, traffic, and mobilization problems that characterize the urban space.

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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Urban decay, especially the poor quality of streets, is the aspect identified as the most challenging by the participants, as it puts their physical safety at risk. People living in the hills routinely go downtown to visit public offices, use urban services, or simply to save on domestic purchases. Senior citizens perceive insecurity both in public and domestic spaces. They see themselves as a vulnerable group and an easy target for urban crime. They do not complain much about urban services and equipment. Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

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Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

Despite the difficulties,

PEOPLE ATTRIBUTE A POSITIVE VALUE TO LIVING IN THE HILLS

This positive perception can be attributed to: – a more friendly & healthy space – a communal dimension that helps to create bonds and support networks: • Living in the hills reinforces social identity • People are recognized in their neighborhoods • People know each other personally and therefore feel safer • Less polluted air, less traffic and spectacular views are very valued aspects Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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Hills take on a positive dimension as opposed to downtown, which is seen as a space where there is no community life. Living in the hills allows one to enjoy a better quality of life since it is healthier, both socially and physically.

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

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2. Perception of formal & informal social networks • They are wide & heterogeneous at the • Family level • Neighborhood level • City level (Clubs or Senior Associations) • The Neighborhood level is considered the most useful and provides immediate support in the daily life • The Family level is more distant and ideal • The clubs and senior associations offer a great stimulus • All social networks provide emotional support and allow elderly people to stay active

Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

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Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

CONCLUSION With regard to the city of Valparaiso senior citizens perceive that: •There are many dangerous issues for their physical security •It is an unsafe place, causing a sense of insecurity and fragility •While being physically difficult for them, the hills have many other positive meanings, such as:  Having neighborhoods that create bonds of friendship and solidarity among neighbors,  Providing a network of relationships which support the lives of senior citizens, and  Being a healthier and more fulfilling space than downtown. Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

Sustainable Development 2007, 25-27 April 2007, Algarve, Portugal.

Quality of Life of the Senior Citizen in an Urban Habitat: Valparaiso.

Nº 1061179 – 2006 FONDECYT

•

As a patrimonial site, it is full of positive attributes and picturesque aspects in its urban structure. However, this is not relevant to their quality of life

•

Social networks are wide and heterogeneous, provide emotional support, and allow people to stay active

Therefore, for a better QOL of senior citizens 

The qualities associated with the hills should be preserved and encouraged



The conditions negatively affecting senior citizens (poor quality of streets, urban crime, insecurity, etc.) should be improved Universidad de Valparaíso, Chile.

Researcher: Giulietta Fadda

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THE KEY CONCEPTS:

1. QUALITY OF LIFE Quality of life is “a multidimensional term of wellbeing, meaning that: ‘objective’ life conditions are satisfactory and that there is a high degree of ‘subjective’ well-being; in addition to the individual satisfaction of necessities, it includes the collective wellbeing” (Glatzer and Zapf) Thus, quality of life is a multidimensional concept containing both material and non-material, objective and subjective, individual and collective aspects of well-being and wealth Quality of Life

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2. AGING Faced with the global trend of population aging, the UN’s Madrid International Plan of Action outlined the challenge to build societies that would integrate their senior citizens.

This implies the achievement of a favorable environment for aging and, among other things, the development of senior citizen-friendly neighborhoods and cities. Aging

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3. URBAN SUSTAINABILITY

Problems like •Segregation

•Deficits in equipment, services, infrastructure

•Poor quality in construction & design of houses

•Deficiencies in soil condition

•Inappropriate urban planning

•Poor management of solid and liquid wastes

•Water and air pollution

•Flooding or landslide risks

are directly related to the lack of urban sustainability

Urban sustaintability

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These problems mainly impact the more vulnerable segments of the urban population:

the poor, women, senior citizens

and especially those who fit into more than one of the above categories

Current planning gives high priority to increasing the quality of life of these segments and therefore of improving urban sustainability Urban sustaintability

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4. NEIGHBORHOOD A neighborhood is characterized by having its “ o w n p e r s o n a l i t y ”, and representing a “micro-town.”

It is also an intermediate step between the city and the individual, and is a wellknown, familiar space where inhabitants feel perfectly comfortable.

Neighborho

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Neighborhoods are also characterized by being functional and mainly residential.

Their respective areas are also limited by distances that may be covered by a pedestrian. The areas provide a sociological reality based on the notions of proximity and vicinity.