The Centre for an age-friendly Norway
The Centre for an age-friendly Norway is a national competence centre that seeks to enable development of sustainable and age-friendly communities. Our goal is for seniors to be able to live good, meaningful and independent lives for as long as possible. Older people’s capabilities should be used for optimal benefit to themselves and their community.
The Centre’s work is founded on collaboration with various community actors through a network of cities and communities and partnerships with businesses, organisations and researchers.
The Centre is based in the city of Ålesund and is organised as a section within the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and are also an affiliate in WHOs Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.
Contact us
If you want to get in touch with us, send an e-mail to
Mandate and assignment
The centre for an age-friendly Norway was established as part of a quality reform for older people “A full life – all your life”. One of the main objectives of the reform was the establishment of an age-friendly Norway programme. The centre was given the responsibility of implementing this programme.
From 2024 onwards the work is continued in the reform: “Community and independence – live safely at home” (in norwegain). The programme for an age-friendly Norway is continued with a more long-term focus, until 2030 and age-friendly development is emphasized.
The reforms constitute a follow up of a “National strategy for an age-friendly Norway – More years, more opportunities”, launched in 2016.
The strategy and reforms provide a powerful backdrop for Norway`s age-friendly development, providing a platform for different strategies and collaboration between many stakeholders and between different sectors.
Partnership platform
The main purpose of the partnership platform – Together for an age-friendly Norway, is to create synergies between sectors and industries, organisations and businesses, with the aim of contributing to increased knowledge about the changes, challenges and opportunities following the demographic changes.
The partners represent education, research, transport and mobility, different clusters, voluntary organizations, social entrepreneurs amongst others.
The platform provides an arena for exchange, collaboration among the partners, but also with the cities and communities. They co-create together on projects and activities enhancing age-friendly knowledge, awareness and ultimately, more age-friendly practices.
National network of age-friendly communities
The National network of age-friendly communities is a platform for exchange, learning and capacity building among cities and communities in Norway.
The network facilitates:
- peer learning/exchange
- webinars on age-friendly topics with relevant research and examples from the cities and communities to bring out challenges and opportunities pertaining to the different age-friendly domains
- Counselling one-to-one or to groups
The council for an age-friendly Norway
The members of the council for an age-friendly Norway are appointed by the government. The council has a mandate to advise the centre on priorities, strategies and operations as well as influence public debate on age-friendly issues.
The council have representatives from the following organizations:
Resources
Below you will find a selection of guides, documents, leaflets, reports and other materials that can be applieed in the work with age-friendly development.
Handbook for Age-Friendly Communities
Together with municipalities and collaborating partners, The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS) has prepared a handbook for age-friendly local communities highlighting the age-friendly domains with a practical approach, methods, good examples and checklists.
Active and Social At All Ages - Universally designed and age-friendly outdoor areas and meeting places
The Centre for an age-friendly Norway has together with KS, produced the booklet "Active and social at all ages". This is a showcase of different examples of projects and initiatives gathered from all over Norway of outdoor spaces and meeting places that are inclusive, accessible and developed through co-production between different stakeholders and local inhabitants.