Human Development Pathways for Empowering Older Adults: A Decade of Healthy Ageing Perspective

Human development (HD) programmes are human resource management strategies for improving skills and knowledge. They can play an important role in empowering older adults to use neighbourhoods, especially in places experiencing crises such as disease outbreaks and climate change. Outcomes of these pathways that are crucial for healthy ageing amidst crises include autonomy, self-efficacy, and resilience. These outcomes are referred to as ‘HD pathways’, which are principles, values, or motivations governing or inspiring the design of HD programmes. This chapter delineates an integrated theoretical framework encapsulating these principles and values, with an aim to provide an understanding of the significance of the values and principles in the use of neighbourhoods for healthy ageing in contexts experiencing crises. This theoretical analysis is done to provide implications for implementing initiatives such as the Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021–2030. The narrative analysis may contribute to the field of sociopolitical, developmental, and environmental gerontology and would provide research and policy implications.