Being old in urban/public space: The case of Mersin

With the rapidly changing structure of cities in the 21st century, the participation of the increasing elderly population in urban life has become a critical area of discussion. Urban change and transformations affect the mobility of elderly individuals in urban spaces and their participation in social life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is predicted that 22% of the world population will be over the age of 60 in 2050. In Turkey, TÜİK (2023) data shows that the population over the age of 65 has reached 10.2% and this rate will increase to 12.9% by 2030. These demographic changes highlight the concept of "age-friendly city". Age-friendly cities are settlements where accessibility, social participation, health services and the physical environment are optimized according to the needs of the elderly. Age-friendly cities include design parameters that increase the quality of life of all city residents, not a specific age group. This study aims to analyze the public space experiences of the elderly in Mersin city within the framework of WHO's 8 basic age-friendly city criteria (open spaces, transportation, housing, social participation, etc.). Coastal cities in Turkey are urban spaces that the elderly mostly prefer during their retirement periods due to the living opportunities they offer. In this sense, Mersin is an important coastal city with a dense elderly population according to TÜİK data. This study aims to examine the accessibility, comfort and participation problems of elderly individuals in urban/public spaces in Mersin city. Within the scope of the study, it is aimed to determine the physical and social arrangements that will facilitate the integration of the elderly into urban life within the framework of WHO's "Age-Friendly Cities" criteria and "Universal Design" principles. A roadmap is presented for an inclusive and sustainable urbanization by revealing the obstacles that Mersin's elderly population encounters in urban spaces. In future studies, comparative analyses with different cities are recommended.