A/HRC/30/43 demographic changes: including engineers, designers, architects, urban planners, transport authorities and conductors, service providers and members of the academic community. 61. Another important element to leading an autonomous life is housing. Older persons have the right to choose where to live, and, to the extent possible, housing should be adapted to their needs. Should they wish If they feel the need to change or adapt their homes because of their mobility requirements, States should secure rent- free accommodation, or at least provide rent subsidies or , credit facilities , to help older persons afford to remain in their own houses. 62. Housing options for older persons, including co-housing based on intergenerational communities, age-adapted homes and flat-sharing concepts should be further developed. Other schemes that include bank credit facilitation, tax incentives and subsidies, involving both private and public sectors should be encouraged so as to build accessible and appropriate housing for older persons. Particular attention should be given to older women and widows, who tend to live alone with no family support. 6. Participation and social inclusion 63. An age-friendly community is one that also considers an older person’s political involvement, meaning that age cannot be a justification for any exclusion from decisionmaking processes and active citizenship. The right to participate in political and public life includes the possibility of being able to vote, and of being elected, sometimes requiring the availability of facilities and materials that are accessible to older persons, including in nursing and institutional care settings. States should provide access to transport to and from polling stations, as well as to attend meetings of public authorities and to participate in trade-union and advocacy efforts. 64. The involvement of older persons in the electoral system has been declining, especially in the age group of 80 and above, as a result of discriminatory practices leading to social exclusion and political marginalization. The participation of older persons should therefore be institutionalized through forums, or consultative, coordinating or advisory bodies at the local, regional and national level. 7. Education, training and lifelong learning 65. Autonomy includes access to education, training and lifelong learning that will help maintain self-esteem and extend knowledge and adaptability to cultural and social changes, especially regarding advances in information technology. The target of educational programmes should not be limited to older persons only, in order to promote intergenerational learning and understanding. States should develop specific pedagogical methods for teaching older persons, such as master’s degree programmes in gerontopedagogics. Particular attention should be given to information technology and computing training programmes. 66. With the rapid evolution of new technologies, autonomy also means having access to the Internet and being able to use information and communications technology and services. When online registration is sometimes the only or easiest way to purchase goods and services, older persons should be able to access these goods and services without depending on others. Older persons constitute a distinct consumer group, with specific needs, interests and preferences. Technologies can contribute to strengthening an older person’s autonomy by adapting products to meet the changes incurred with age, such as through adjusting the size of objects or through offering technical support. 67. Autonomy also means being able to access cultural activities through the availability of transport, subsidized tickets for cultural activities and reduced fees or free entrance for older persons. Services such as closed-captioning and open subtitled for those with hearing impairments should be provided in theatres, museums and other cultural-related facilities. 12