Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan, School of Applied Social Studies and ISS21 begins an IRC New Foundations project titled Agency and ageing in place in rural Ireland in collaboration with Age Action.

Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan, School of Applied Social Studies and ISS21, UCC has been awarded an IRC New Foundations award for a project titled ‘Agency and ageing in place in rural Ireland.’ The project involves collaboration with Age Action to explore the housing preferences of older people in rural Ireland and aims to identify how to build capacity in rural communities to meet these preferences.

Age-friendly initiatives and sheltered housing primarily concentrate on urban areas, whereas it is far less understood how best to respond to the unique housing needs of dispersed ageing rural dwellers. A participatory survey and focus groups with Age Action will identify the views of older rural dwellers about ageing in place and the enablers and barriers they face, which will inform the role of civic, voluntary and state organisations in facilitating ageing in place. 

The project will be supported by an inter-sectoral advisory group, including Age Action, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, HSE and academics from Social Work and Applied Psychology in UCC.