Abstract
Europe’s ageing population is a major challenge. The number of people aged 80+ is expected to rise from 143 million in 2020 to 426 million by 2025. In Italy, where older adults represent a significant proportion of the population, innovative models are needed to promote active, healthy and inclusive ageing beyond traditional care-based approaches. This paper presents Abitare Villa Mater, a pilot project in Rivoli (a municipality within the urban area of Turin). The initiative promotes collaborative living for self-sufficient individuals over 60. It encourages social interaction, cognitive and physical activity, and community engagement. The project aims to delay or prevent health decline. The initiative provides high-quality living conditions by balancing personal privacy with shared experiences and mutual support. It integrates social sciences and architecture through participatory and innovative methods, including multidisciplinary working groups, stakeholder consultations, public meetings, and resident interviews to assess needs and expectations. The initiative is funded and promoted by a local foundation, whose support has been crucial to both design and implementation. Despite its small scale, Abitare Villa Mater is a valuable resource for integrated social, cultural, and preventive initiatives supporting active ageing. The project combines individual services with services co-designed and co-produced with individuals and the wider community. By creating safe, engaging, and health-promoting environments, the project redefines ageing as a participation and contribution to society phase. The project also represents an innovative service model. It aligns with a welfare paradigm shift from a reactive, demand-driven system to a proactive and generative one.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Aging, Intergenerational Solidarity and the Polycrisis
KEYWORDS
Active Aging, Social Inclusion, Senior Housing, Social Programs, Community Welfare
