Population ageing and the "pensioner boom" (gerontogrowth) are well established all over France. In Paris, population ageing may not be as pronounced as elsewhere but the number of elderly citizens over 85 has been rising steadily. This development means, on the one hand, an improved expectancy of a healthy old age, but on the other, an increase in the number of elderly dependent people and a whole range of consequences including political, economic, social, societal and health issues. Healthy ageing is at the heart of government policies designed to prevent age-related loss of autonomy. As people grow older, preserving their mobility and social connections is crucial if they are to remain independent and retain control over their surroundings. Three quarters of the over 75s are able-bodied and independent and choose to stay at home for as long as they can. This should be borne in mind in seeking to develop a territorial social-spatial approach to "ageing well” and providing quality of life in old age for all. Our survey carried out in the fourteenth arrondissement of Paris establishes a connection between the spacial habits in senior citizens over 75, their perception of space and the way they picture their surroundings in the form of mental maps. The survey underlines the extent of socio-spatial disparities between elderly citizens, their growing personal needs as space shrinks in old age and the malfunctioning of the local agencies breakdown of communities, all of which contribute to the socio-spatial isolation of the elderly. This local-level analysis identifies the issues surrounding the ageing population which any key player whether operating locally or nationally needs to address
The habitat of the over 75s in Paris : what kind of urban environment is best suited to achieve an ongoing quality of life ?