Paper short abstract:

Based on an ethnographic study, including photovoice, we analyse innovations in neighbourhoods to stimulate ageing-in-place. As policymakers, directors, professionals and older people stress different qualities of a life cycle robust place, ageing technologies should attune to these differences.

Paper long abstract:

Strategies to enable people to grow old(er) while remaining in their homes for longer periods of time have been widely promoted. In this context, life cycle robust neighbourhoods are considered an important ageing-in-place technology. We studied constructions of life cycle robust neighbourhoods among actors working for municipalities, organisations in the fields of housing, care and welfare, an insurance company and associations representing older people, as well as among older people, in a local innovative care practice in the southern part of the Netherlands. We performed participant observations and interviews (N=74) and used photovoice to enable participants to articulate their experiences and ideas of neighbourhoods as places to age. Fifteen older persons and fourteen housing, care and welfare professionals took pictures to visualise their perception of life cycle robustness. In a dialogue meeting they shared their stories.

From the analysis it appears that policymakers and directors of organisations (as developers) and older people (as users) construct ageing-in-place differently. Developers (and professionals) envisioned homes and life cycle robust neighbourhoods primarily as technical constructs, namely as places that 'normalise' older people as active citizens, living in senior-friendly homes in participatory communities. Users defined life cycle robust neighbourhoods primarily in terms of personal memories, experiences and affections. While developers focus on the materiality of place and infrastructure, older people stress the importance of place attachment.

Our analysis makes clear that ageing technologies need to be adjusted to users' experiences and that there appears to be no one-size-fits all.