Building age-friendly communities through resource allocation and governance innovation under urban–rural integration: evidence from Sichuan, China

Amid rapid population aging and persistent urban-rural disparities, age-friendly communities (AFCs) have become an important vehicle for strengthening community-level capacity to care for older adults and promoting urban-rural integration. Using Sichuan Province in western China as a case study, this paper examines three contrasting community types: an urban core community, an urban-rural fringe community, and a rural community. Drawing on policy document analysis, field observations, community operational materials, and 55 semi-structured interview notes from three anonymized case communities, this study investigates how resource allocation, governance arrangements, and smart technology shape AFC development under conditions of urban-rural integration. The findings suggest that AFC development in the three cases was shaped by the interacting influences of resource allocation, governance innovation, and technological embedding. More effective resource allocation was associated with greater accessibility and responsiveness of services for older adults, while collaborative and adaptive governance innovation appeared to support service continuity and organizational resilience. Smart technology was more likely to contribute to service efficiency when it was embedded in local governance networks and accompanied by measures supporting digital inclusion. The cross-case comparison points to three context-dependent development pathways across urban, urban-rural fringe, and rural communities. Overall, the evidence suggests that AFC development may be understood as a systemic and context-sensitive process requiring differentiated community strategies to improve the equity of services for older adults and support urban-rural integration in western China.