Participation and agency when ageing in place, 2012

Based on the policy ideal of being able to remain at home while ageing, the program will explore what living at home implies for elderly people and the supporting services regarding participation. Ageing usually implies functional decline, and a variety of interventions have been developed aiming to restore or compensate for lost functioning. There is, however a lack of methods which support a meaningful and active daily life for elderly people ageing in place. Furthermore, limited measures exist to assess the impact of such interventions. Elderly report barriers for participation when encountering the service system, both at a systems level and with regards to individual service providers. The proposal takes it's point of departure in theory on participation, agency, meaning and person-centred care. Participation is identified as a concept providing support for the individuals right to be an active agent in her life and in society. Limited knowledge exists on how to support elderly people to participate, engage in and experience meaning in their everyday activities. This program will explore this from different angles and methodology, with an overall aim to; enhance knowledge of how elderly who receive long term care at home act and participate in daily life and how care givers work to support their situation. The specific research questions are; 1) Do care givers within long term care form a barrier for social participation among elderly people? 2) Do the different perspectives on participation (among care givers and receivers) form a barrier for elderly's participation in daily life, leading to passivity and a recipient role?