Abstract
Ageing in place is a common expression in current thinking and practices on ageing policies. Growing old in a place where one has lived for most of their life and that is familiar to them is an advantage in terms of preserving one’s identity, a meaningful life and a sense of security and familiarity. This is achieved as much by maintaining independence and autonomy, as by their roles in the place where they live. Although the vast majority of Portuguese people grow old in their homes, the measures for ageing in place are still little known compared to the attention paid to institutional solutions. The Good Practices Guide for Ageing in Place, published in 2018 by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, enabled a study of innovative initiatives implemented in Portugal to encourage and facilitate ageing in place by promoting independence, social participation and well-being. Since 2019 the Foundation funded and monitored several pilot projects promoting ageing in the community, in various regions of the country. The outcomes of the projects and the lessons learned will be described in this paper, which gives voice to those who work on the ground with older people, identify the impacts on the lives of people and organisations, and makes recommendations to be taken into account in future interventions for ageing in place.
Presenters
António FonsecaAssociate Professor, Faculty of Education and Psychology / CEDH Research Centre, Catholic University of Portugal, Portugal
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Public Policy and Public Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
AGEING, COMMUNITIES
