Project Overview

As Ireland’s population ages, there is a growing need for services that support older people to age in the community and enjoy optimal quality of life. The social economy, including voluntary, community, charitable organisations and social enterprises, provides supports ranging from help with daily life tasks, to household maintenance, housing adaptation, and social supports that maintain integration and participation of older people in the community. Developing in-depth case studies of service initiatives, this research explores how the social economy can support 'ageing in place’ (i.e. in the community). It considers policy and practice implications to improve the outcomes of ‘ageing in place’ initiatives. 

This project is conducted in partnership with Age Action.

Objectives

1. Identify local and national social economy initiatives that contribute to a spectrum of supports for 'ageing in place'. 
2. Understand the lived experience of ‘ageing in place’ with the help of a continuum of supports developed and delivered within the social economy. 
3. Critically examine strategy, operations and client experience of supports for ageing in place. 
4. Consider how policy might respond to the findings to improve the outcomes of ‘ageing in place’ initiatives. 

Funder and Project dates 

This project has been funded by Research Ireland and runs from January 2025 to January 2026. 

Contact 

Dr Carol Power (Principal Investigator), Centre for Co-operative Studies, Cork University Business School; email cpower@ucc.ie

Dr Caroline Crowley (Postdoctoral Researcher), Centre for Co-operative Studies, email caroline.crowley@ucc.ie