Leader: Amelia Compagni (BOCCONI); Other collaborator(s): all the researchers involved in WP5
Conducting experience-based co-design experiments in four different geographical contexts (pilot sites). The task will include the following steps: 1) Mapping and analysis of the most relevant initiatives catered to the elderly within the four pilot sites (Mar.-Dec. 2023); 2) Analysis of needs of the elderly through qualitative methods and tracing of their experiences with services to identify most relevant improvement priorities (Jan.-Oct. 2024); 3) Comparison between experience-based improvement priorities and those emerging through main indicator sets available through municipalities, local health authorities or other entities providing services to the elderly; 2) Elaboration, through co-design sessions, of solutions to improve critical steps in service (Jan.-Sep. 2025); 3) Fast prototyping of the elaborated solutions; 4) Elaboration of policy suggestions for the improvement of current services for the elderly and for the implementation of the new service models included in the PNRR (Feb. 2026).
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
To be able and conduct interviews and additional steps of the research project in the Piacenza province, a formal agreement with the LHA of Piacenza has been stipulated. This agreement has allowed the Bocconi resercahers to have access to anonymized data referring to the LHA's project "Montagna solidale".
The project involved 298 older people in the municipalities of Morfasso and Vernasca, over 75 years old and not in charge with any of the LHA or municipalities' services for whom the LHA had collected a series of social and health-related data;
The data from Montagna solidale have been analysed by the Bocconi team to be able to identify potential cluster and draw the sample of older people to be contacted for the interview part of the project. The cluster analysis has been sent to the Piacenza LHA and in contact with the older people by the LHA is expected for May 2024.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
Task 5.2 depends on the activities that are presently conducted in task 5.1. After the first phase of field work (interviews), the researchers will work on co-design. So, this task will develop fully only in the following phase of field work (cooperative inquiry and co-design), foreseen in 2025.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
The researchers involved in this task conducted interviews in the geographic area of Morfasso and Vernasca (see Task 5.1)
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
This task will develop fully only in the following phase of field work (cooperative inquiry and co-design), foreseen in 2025.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
The researchers involved in this task conducted interviews in the geographic area of Morfasso and Vernasca (see Task 5.1)
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
This task will develop fully only in the following phase of field work (cooperative inquiry and co-design), foreseen in 2025.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
The 36 interviews carried out in the area of Piacenza (Morfasso and Vernasca) and subsequently transcribed are currently being analysed. This process entails the development/application of a codebook which is expected to highlight, for each of the older adults’ clusters previously identified, the: i) activities they engage in to promote their active ageing; ii) possible unmet or unexpressed needs in this respect; iii) local services provided to meet their expressed needs; iv) main barriers due to which certain needs remained unmet or unexpressed; v) core concerns and issues described by interviewees as related to their ageing experiences. The preliminary findings stemming from the analysis will be shared and discussed with the LHA of Piacenza during a meeting to be held in January 2025. Further drawing on the final results, a personas approach (Patalano et al., 2021; Gentile et al., 2022) will be used to develop fictitious persona profiles representing distinct segments of the study population (e.g., their socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics, needs, desires, etc.). These personas will represent the building blocks upon which the co-design sessions with involved community stakeholders will build to identify desirable solutions to address the described segments’ emerging needs.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
This task will develop fully only in the following phase of fieldwork (cooperative inquiry and co-design), foreseen in 2025.
Preparation for Meeting on January 17, 2025 – Meana
Preparation for Meeting on January 31, 2025 – AUSL Piacenza
The preparatory work completed in December ensures that the January meetings will proceed effectively, setting the foundation for stakeholder collaboration and Phase II implementation.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
This task will develop fully only in the following phase of fieldwork (cooperative inquiry and co-design).
Meeting on January 17, 2025 – Meana (Attendance: Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Councillor)
Meeting on January 31, 2025 – AUSL Piacenza
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
This task will develop fully only in the following phase of fieldwork (cooperative inquiry and co-design).
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Researchers sought and obtained Ethical Approval from the Bocconi University Ethics Committee for the activities to be carried out as part of the project’s second phase in the territories of Morfasso, Vernasca, Meana di Susa and Mattie. This implied structuring a detailed study protocol and developing all the materials that will be provided to study participants (i.e., informative leaflets, informed consent forms, ‘Personas’ descriptions).
Press conference on February 25, 2025 - AUSL Pacenza (Attendance: Ausl - General Manager, Director of Social and Health Care Activities, Director of the Eastern District, Coordinator of the Operational Unit ‘Territorial Organization’; Community Nurses, Social Workers and Mayors of Morfasso and Vernasca Municipalities; local press representatives)
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The conference provided a valuable opportunity to make the project, its preliminary findings and next stages more visible to the local population, while disseminating knowledge about the lived experiences, demands and difficulties of those growing older in the territories involved in the study. Moreover, it helped build rapport and mutual understanding with local decision-makers and institutional stakeholders, who will be directly involved in the forthcoming research activities (Phase II) and will manage - in collaboration with the research team - the recruitment of further study participants.
Research papers
Press releases