title: Participatory and evidence-based recommendations for urban redevelopment following natural disasters: older adults as policy advisers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop community-generated recommendations to inform urban environmental remediation following earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, and share these with local decision-makers during a participatory action research process.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study employed three focus group discussions to critique mixed-methods and multiphase results and develop evidence-based recommendations. Participants included 30 volunteers and 8 knowledgeable advisers aged 65 years and older.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participant recommendations addressed the remediation of earthquake-affected suburbs, access to transportation, age-friendly design, safer communities, resilient support agencies, and restoration of resources for social and cultural activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older collaborators identified salient barriers to active ageing and options for post-earthquake redevelopment that had not previously been considered in research or policy. Independently living older adults are well placed to work with researchers to develop recommendations to improve the urban environment following natural disasters as well as in times of relative stability.
authors: Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Annear
authors: Sally
authors: S
authors: Keeling
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods*; D004190:Disasters; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000592:standards*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D015980:Public Health Practice / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014506:Urban Renewal / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: disasters; older adults; participatory action research; policy recommendations