Co-creating age-friendly futures

This article examines how cross-sector collaborations and leadership can be leveraged to advance age-friendly initiatives, with a particular focus on the role of co-production and the involvement of older adults. It first reviews examples of age-friendly initiatives from various regions in the Global North and South, highlighting multisector collaboration. Next, it presents case studies from Manchester (UK)—an international leader in age-friendly programs—that showcase co-production and the active participation of diverse groups of older adults. Finally, the article identifies key leadership principles and skills, as recognized by age-friendly leaders themselves, that are critical for overcoming barriers to collaboration and ensuring the sustainability of age-friendly initiatives.