Leader: Tiziana Nazio (UPO)
Other collaborator(s): all the researchers involved in WP5
This task adopts a mixed-method enquiry to explore social determinants of ageing models and care-provision. It analyses the heterogeneity in support provision across local contexts and multi-agents support networks. It adopts a quantitative analysis of demands and responses to older people's needs from SHARE data and other relevant sources (e.g. ITA.LI panel, Time Use Surveys). Combining empirical evidence from in-depth semi-structured interviews to a subsample of older people, in coordination with other units of the WP in a comparative endeavour, it explores (1) different cultural ‘ageing models’, (2) gathers insights on preferred and realised caring provision; (3) aims to detect circumstances affecting risk profiles and support networks: individuals’ capacity to access and mobilise networks resources and access services and; (4) explores unmet demands and individuals’ arrangements. It also contributes to the activities of the other units and taksts in WP5.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Research in collaboration with Spoke 1 WP 6 on older people’s residential careers.
Main policy, industrial, and scientific implications
The main policy recommendations and practical guidelines will be developed during the later stages of the research, drawing on the key findings and insights gathered throughout the project.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
In Piedmont, after several promising meetings with local administrators, managers and professionals of the health system, Municipality and third-sector organizations in Chieri and contacts with Carmagnola, accessing the field became impossible due to severe problems both in the AUSL and in the municipalities after the political elections. The agreements that were discussed at length, drafted and approved by the university could not be signed. So, new steps were taken to identify a different geographic area. Research in collaboration with Spoke 1 WP 6 on older people’s residential careers.
Main policy, industrial, and scientific implications
Formenti, L. and Nazio, T. intervened on behalf of WP5 at the webinar Multiplicity of Ageing Models: Complexity, Intersectionality, Life Courses, Needs (online, January 15, 2024).
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
A new case was selected and preparatory meetings with the new Municipality of Meana di Susa were undertaken. A cooperation agreement was discussed, drafted and signed by both parties. Meetings for the sampling design were held, and restitution took place on the demographic profile of the older resident population, with the Major, Deputy Mayor, and Councillor on September 12th. Research in collaboration with Spoke 1 WP 6 on older people’s residential careers and with Spoke 4 WP2 on time use of the elderly.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The main policy recommendations and practical guidelines will be developed during the later stages of the research, drawing on the key findings and insights gathered throughout the project.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Promotional materials were designed, and the campaign was launched in the territory of Meana di Susa, with materials distributed across the 21 scattered settlements. The sampling strategy was developed, interviewees were selected and contacted, and recruitment began. Fieldwork was completed with 27 in-depth interviews, all of which were fully transcribed. A second case study was selected in the Municipality of Mattie, and an initial meeting with the Mayor took place on October 31st. A cooperation agreement was discussed, drafted, and signed by both parties. A meeting to finalize the sampling procedure was held on December 19th. The sample definition is currently underway, with fieldwork scheduled for February.
Preparations are in progress for new recruitment following the current RTD-A researcher’s appointment to a tenure-track position. The selection procedure for recruiting a new researcher has been initiated.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The main policy recommendations and practical guidelines will be developed during the later stages of the research, drawing on the key findings and insights gathered throughout the project.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
Meeting on January 17, 2025 – Meana di Susa (Attendance: Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Councillor)
Elaboration of data for sample selection in Mattie. Research in collaboration with Spoke 1 WP 6 on older people’s residential careers and with Spoke 4 WP2 on time use of the elderly.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The main policy recommendations and practical guidelines will be developed during the later stages of the research, drawing on the key findings and insights gathered throughout the project.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
The sampling strategy for Mattie was developed, interviewees were selected and recruitment began.
Promotional materials were designed and the campaign was launched in the area of Mattie. The materials were displayed on the noticeboards located in the various hamlets of the municipality and were also distributed in key locations such as the local health care post, the local shop, and the town’s bars.
In addition, recruitment was mediated by two key informants from the local area — trusted individuals who, owing to their positions, are familiar with and maintain contact with almost the entire local population. Despite this, access to the field proved challenging, and the widespread distrust among the elderly residents, while allowing for considerable progress in the research, ultimately prevented the full completion of the fieldwork (as of 31 March, 14 out of 30 planned interviews had been conducted).
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
The main policy recommendations and practical guidelines will be developed during the later stages of the research, drawing on the key findings and insights gathered throughout the project for both Meana di Susa and Mattie.
Fieldwork April-June
Data analysis May-June
Other products of the research June
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
Preliminary results highlight relevant differences between Mattie and Meana di Susa despite their proximity with respect to social cohesion and the narratives of the population about their territories. This also impacts on the capacity of the population to create informal local networks to deal with their needs.
However, the analysis of the data collected is still ongoing and the main policy recommendations and practical guidelines will be developed during the later stages of the research, drawing on the key findings and insights gathered throughout the project for both Meana di Susa and Mattie.
Fieldwork
The co-design meetings took place on the 7th, 8th, and 10th of July. On the afternoon of the 7th, we met with the interviewees (11) and the stakeholders (7: local library, local administration, red cross, alpini, pro loco, one restaurant and one bed and breakfast) of Mattie. On the morning of the 8th, we met with the interviewees from Meana di Susa (3), and on the morning of the 10th, we met again with the interviewees (5) and stakeholders (8: the priest, the registry official, local library, the local hairdresser, a local shop, pro loco, pulizia canalette association) of Meana di Susa. The meetings were facilitated by Laura Formenti.
Meana di Susa: stakeholders: Create an interactive ethnographic museum, school projects to preserve the local dialect, interactive trail signage to promote local heritage, Reopen the “Tonelli” senior centre as a shared social centre, and promote cultural and recreational activities in Meana. Citizens: create opportunities for socialisation for the older citizens, smart solutions like whatsapp groups to offer and ask for help, promote collective responsibility to care for the territory, interactive museums, organise attractive and beautiful events for people from other places.
Mattie: stakeholders: preserve and share Mattie’s cultural memory, work with the school and library on local history projects, foster intergenerational exchange and skill-sharing, make the library a lively community hub, build volunteer networks for support and social events, improve trails and village appearance. Citizens: Create a time bank for intergenerational skill exchange, reinstate a borgata coordinator to organise care and community activities, renew local traditions by involving young people and strengthen dialogue and connection between generations, build a mutual aid network to support isolated residents, use creative activities, like theatre, to preserve local memory and culture, promote convivial events, such as shared community meals.
We are organising the final meetings in Mattie and Meana di Susa to share the results with the interviewees and local stakeholders. The meetings are expected to take place between the last week of October and the second week of November.
Data analysis May-June
The interviews of Mattie were transcribed and corrected.
We have analysed the 25 interviews of Mattie with Atlas-T using the code book we had developed during the previous trimester.
Other products of the research July-September
We are still in the process of developing — in collaboration with the municipalities of Mattie, Meana di Susa, Liveri and Terzigno, as well as with Mensa and Plusgiocando — a collaborative card game aimed at educating and engaging the public on the different models of ageing, and on ageing as a transition that requires various types of resources (health, social network, and economic resources), as also emerged from our interview-based research.
Data dissemination
We participated to the Notte delle Ricercatrici e dei Ricercatori (27/09, Torino) under the “laboratori della ricerca” section with our proposal: “Crea con cura: insieme per affrontare le transizioni lungo il corso della vita”. There, we had the opportunity to present a first prototype of the card game.
It was well received by people of all ages, and the feedback was highly positive. We also showcased a poster from the Age-It project, illustrating the main findings from the interviews we conducted in the Val di Susa area.
Tiziana Nazio organised and coordinated the Como Lake Summer School: “Transitions in ageing: An interdisciplinary framework for research” (1-5/09, Como). She also gave a lecture: “New approaches to the life-course in sociology” and a methodological workshop: “Statistical approaches and dataset”.
For conferences and meetings see the “conference presentations” section.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
As mentioned, the preliminary results highlight significant differences between Mattie and Meana di Susa, despite their geographical proximity—particularly in terms of social cohesion and local narratives about their territories. These differences also influence the population’s ability to create informal local networks to address their needs. They can be traced back to distinct historical trajectories and to the differing relationships each municipality has developed with Turin. While Meana di Susa used to be a popular tourist destination for families from Turin, thanks to its railway connection, Mattie experienced tourism—and its subsequent decline—to a much lesser extent.
In addition, thanks to the co-design meetings, we also observed that these places differ quantitatively in terms of the human resources represented by older people. This element cannot be overlooked when designing a policy or public intervention. Bottom-up strategies make it possible to identify and mobilise the actual local resources, which should serve as the starting point for any initiative.
We also observed that care convoys vary according to the gender of the older person. Men tend to require social care for basic daily activities such as cooking and cleaning, whereas women are more exposed to isolation due to the lack of public transport and the absence of a driving licence.
A gender-sensitive perspective should therefore be adopted in the design of services, particularly with regard to mobility. “Ageing in place” is the main goal of the current Italian strategy for older people; however, ageing in place in inner areas without adequate services and public transport remains highly challenging. To prevent dependency, public policies should focus on promoting mobility and social inclusion through bottom-up strategies, in order to capture the actual needs of people living in these areas rather than assuming them from an urban-based perspective.
Research papers
Santis, G. D., Nazio, T., & Bronzini, M. (2025). Residential mobility along the ageing process in Italy. International Review of Sociology, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/03906701.2025.2552853
Conference presentations