COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACHES TO HEALTHY AGEING: PROMOTING FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE AND WELL-BEING

Abstract

Healthy ageing is increasingly recognised as a multidimensional process shaped not only by an individual’s physical and mental capacity but also by the social, economic, and physical environments in which older adults live. As global and Indian populations age at an unprecedented rate, community-based support systems have emerged as central to enabling older adults to remain independent, socially engaged, and physically active within their own homes and neighbourhoods. This chapter examines the concept of healthy ageing as articulated by the World Health Organization, situates it within the priority areas of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), and explores the role of community support — including physiotherapy-led exercise and falls-prevention programmes, social participation initiatives, age-friendly environments, and caregiver support — in sustaining functional ability across the life course. Particular attention is given to the Indian context, where rapid demographic transition, urbanisation, and changing family structures are reshaping the availability of informal care and creating an urgent need for structured community-based geriatric services. Evidence from recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses demonstrates that community-based exercise, social engagement, and multicomponent interventions significantly reduce falls, loneliness, and functional decline among older adults. The chapter concludes by outlining a framework for community-level action across individual, service, and policy domains, and by identifying the challenges — including resource constraints, caregiver burden, and inequitable access — that must be addressed to make healthy ageing a realistic goal for all older adults.