Ebba Högström, School of Architecture, Umeå University

Katarina Andersson, Department of Social Work, Umeå University

Collaboration between municipal sectors is of vital importance in caring and planning for older people. In Sweden, collaboration between social services eldercare and urban planning is stipulated in the Social Services Act from 1982. The theme of this symposia elaborates on dimensions of social care and urban planning in times of increasing diversity amongst older people and ageing-in-place and active ageing ideologies. Influence and independence are core national values and part of the social rights-discourse to claim one’s rights. Arranging for good quality care and good living conditions is of public interest and a prerequisite for ageing societies characterized by inclusion and equal social rights. The WHO Age-Friendly Cities and Communities network raises questions of for whom living environments are planned for.

How would an age-friendly built environment perform to justify its name, specifically if with focus on social infrastructure? (EH, DMV) How is equal access to care secured in rural areas? Ageing-in-place may be challenging in geographically secluded areas (AN). Other topics raises perspectives of what ageing is represented to be from professionals (KA) and how could senior citizens take a more active part in future planning and eldercare as co-researchers (MSJ). This symposium also accounts for discourse and practice of planning and eldercare provision for older people and what social rights that might be at stake in Sweden’s municipal eldercare and planning regime (TR). Taken together, the symposium will contribute with discussions of care and living environments for older people relating to the central themes of the conference.

Papers:

Ebba Högström, (EH) and Daniel Movilla Vega (DMV) School of Architecture, Umeå University: Collaboration and innovation in eldercare housing in the light of visions.

Amanda Nyberg, (AN) Department of Social Work, Umeå University: Care, planning, and ageing-in-place in rural areas.

Tirtha Rasaili, (TR) Department of Spatial Planning, BTH: Mapping the discourses around older people and eldercare in Swedens’ municipal comprehensive plans: perspectives, implications and challenges.

Maria Sjölund (MSJ) and Katarina Andersson, (KA) Department of Social Work, Umeå University: Age-friendliness for whom? Experienced senior-citizens as co-researchers: accounting for equal social care, sustainable living arrangements and social representations of ageing.

Discussants:

Virve Repo, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University

Karen Christensen, Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University