Enabling Ageing in Place

The overall goal of the project is to generate knowledge on the preconditions for successful ageing in place and based on this knowledge, to suggest measures for implementing ageing in place policies in Norwegian municipalities. The background for the project is demographic changes that are increasing pressure on elderly care services. To reduce the demand for (costly) services and improve the quality of life for older people, the authorities have a strong focus on developing policies that can facilitate older people to live safely in their homes for as long as possible. Ageing in place is understood as an interaction between older people and their environment and will be explored and explained across different groups of older people in relation to housing and surroundings, social networks, access to formal and informal care, technology, and the personal characteristics. The project is organized into 6 work packages. WP 1 involves a literature review that will map ageing in place policies and practices nationally and internationally. In WP2, central principles for older peoples' ability to adapt their housing situation to old age are examined using survey data. WP 3 explores, based on a case study in selected municipalities, measures to reduce social isolation and loneliness among older people. In WP4, also using case study data, elderly care services that can promote safe aging in one's own home are explored. WP5 conducts a survey among family caregivers providing care to older people living at home. WP6 will, based on findings from WP 1-5, develop a handbook for successful ageing in place policies. Researchers specializing in housing, elderly care (both informal and formal care), and researchers studying innovation in public and private services will collaborate on the project. The researchers have established close cooperation with two boroughs in the capital Oslo, one medium sized and one small rural municipality.

The primary objective of the project (AgePlace) is to generate knowledge on the preconditions for successful ageing in place (AIP) and, based on this knowledge, to suggest measures for implementing AIP policy in Norwegian municipalities. Background: Trends in population ageing put a strain on countries’ health and care services. To reduce the demand for (expensive) health and care services and improve older people’s quality of life, authorities in many countries champion AIP, understood as a policy aiming to enable older people to live in their own homes for as long as possible. In Norway, municipalities have the main responsibility for providing long-term care, regardless of age. AgePlace aims to generate knowledge that municipalities can use in their work with strategy and policy to enable AIP. The project will investigate AIP based on a broad definition and complex theoretical approach, highlighting AIP as an interaction between older people and the environment. AIP will be explored and explained across groups of older people in relation to place, social networks, support, technology and personal characteristics. The project may inform AIP policies in Norway, a country with municipalities with highly divergent characteristics in terms of demography, built environment, health and care services, and activities and support from NGOs. Based on an analysis of qualitative and quantitative data methods, the project will develop an AIP handbook that local governments can use to assess the degree of ageing in place enablement in different societal spheres and policy fields. To capture the complexity, researchers on housing, elderly care, and innovation from different disciplines (sociology, welfare research, health science, epidemiology and innovation in the public and private sector) will collaborate with four municipalities/boroughs in the project.