Leader: Letizia Carrera (UNIBA); Other collaborator(s):
The profound qualitative change in terms of social representations and self-representation of the elderly has resulted both in daily cultural practices being very different from the past, and in equally different expectations for a higher quality life. Through a quanti-qualitative approach we will analyze this change also declining it in a gender perspective, recognizing this variable a deep impact on cultural and social needs. We will also analyze urban policies that have a fundamental role to achieve the goals of territorial democracy, social justice, inclusiveness for an age-friendly city and active ageing paths. The aim is to get to find best territorial practices and to define new policy makers recommendations.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results
We launched the research on access and living conditions in nursing residential homes (RSA in Italian). We have also continued with the qualitative research through interviews on quality of life with reference to city and neighbourhood of residence. Submissions and preparation for several conferences: AGE IT in Venice and others (ESA - European Sociological Association).
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications
A comprehensive monitoring plan is being developed to support territorial policies aimed at guiding decisions regarding admission to nursing homes (RSA). More importantly, it seeks to create conditions for high-quality territorial services that can improve the living conditions of elderly individuals and delay their institutionalization.
A qualitative-quantitative study on the topic of senior cohousing has been launched, focusing on the regions of Puglia and Basilicata. The research will involve the collaboration of junior researchers through grants funded by Age-It funds. The study will continue over the following months until the early months of 2025. Gender considerations are also being carefully addressed in this research.
The research aims to encourage concrete policies by territorial administrations at various levels to implement and support more or less formalized senior cohousing projects.
The theoretical reflection that preceded the development of the research framework and the launch of the study itself has been discussed at national conferences (including the General Assembly Age-It at Ca' Foscari Venice 2024) and international events.
Partial results already achieved have been published in Tier A international journals.
As part of research aimed at defining urban and territorial policies designed to ensure high levels of quality of life for elderly individuals, two studies initiated in previous months have been completed on the potential of tourism as an opportunity for leisure, socialization, and cultural growth. These studies (the second focusing on the potential of digital technologies) also paid careful attention to the gender dimension, reaffirming the need to address this aspect.
The results achieved were presented in reports at national and international conferences.
Both studies have resulted in publications in an international tier A and Scientific journals.
In the last quarter of 2024, further research was initiated to explore the dimension of living, which intersects with quality of life and perceived well-being. For this research, several "virtuous" cities have been identified, where qualitative in-depth analyses are being conducted through interviews and ethnographic observation, along with a comparative study with case studies from the Apulia region. Specifically, in relation to this topic, policy content and regulatory and incentive measures for this specific housing model are being defined.
This issue will be further investigated within the quantitative survey set to begin in the end of February, and lasting four months.
Within this broader theme, a qualitative empirical study was specifically conducted on the topic of senior cohousing, leading to a publication in the international A-rank journal Frontiers in Sociology. A second publication, in a more historical perspecitve, is currently under review.
In the third quarter of 2025, research activities and analytical work continued and were further developed on the basis of data emerging from a large-scale quantitative survey conducted in three Italian regions, Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, and Apulia, within a mixed quantitative–qualitative methodological framework.
The research process was grounded in a CATI-based survey that involved a total sample of 1,631 respondents across the three target regions, with a deliberate over-representation of selected urban contexts (Bologna, Pescara, and Bari) in order to capture more detailed territorial dynamics. The structured questionnaire was designed starting from the analysis of previously validated indices, while being reconfigured to assign greater statistical relevance to territorial and contextual variables, thus enhancing the analytical depth of the results.
The outcomes of the survey were subsequently presented and discussed in a range of national and international academic conferences, including events attended by public administrators and institutional stakeholders. In these contexts, the findings were not only examined from a theoretical and empirical perspective, but were also translated into policy-oriented insights. In particular, discussions with public decision-makers focused on the implications of the results for public welfare policies, as well as on the design and structuring of pathways for active participation and the development of bottom-up proposals aimed at strengthening inclusive and territorially sensitive governance processes.
Of particular interest was the participatory experience conducted in the city of Ferrara, which, through an intersectional approach, examined the needs and perspectives of women, particularly older women, in relation to both the material and immaterial dimensions of urban environmental quality.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, research activities focused on the consolidation and further interpretation of the empirical findings, alongside an intensified phase of discussion and dissemination. In this period, the analytical work concentrated on the comparative reading of the data collected across the three regions, with particular attention to territorial specificities and to the relationships between socio-demographic variables, forms of participation, and perceptions of welfare and urban well-being. These analyses contributed to refining the theoretical framework and to identifying key interpretative dimensions emerging from the research.
At the same time, the results were further discussed within research groups and interdisciplinary seminars, fostering dialogue between different scientific perspectives and allowing for a critical assessment of the methodological choices and analytical outcomes. This phase proved instrumental in orienting subsequent research developments and in preparing scientific outputs.
Dissemination activities were strengthened through participation in additional national and international conferences, workshops, and public events, where preliminary and consolidated findings were presented to both academic audiences and practitioners. Particular emphasis was placed on knowledge transfer toward local institutions, policy-makers, and civil society actors. In this context, the research outcomes were shared and debated in relation to concrete policy implications, with a focus on public welfare strategies, participatory governance, and the promotion of bottom-up initiatives. This ongoing exchange contributed to reinforcing the societal impact of the research and to supporting evidence-based reflections on inclusive and territorially grounded policy design.
In addition, during these months it was decided to further explore a theme that had emerged strongly from the previous analyses, namely the role played by family ties with grandchildren in fostering forms of active ageing. To this end, a qualitative study was launched, involving the collection of 250 in-depth qualitative interviews and the organization of three focus groups in the same territorial contexts considered in the earlier phases of the research.
The qualitative investigation focused on young people under the age of 25, with the aim of examining their relationships with their grandparents, their representations of old age, and their perceptions of ageing. Particular attention was also devoted to exploring young participants’ views on urban policies and interventions that could have improved the quality of life of their elderly relatives. These research activities also allowed for the identification of possible implications in terms of welfare policies. In particular, the findings highlight the importance of recognizing and supporting intergenerational relationships as a key resource for promoting active ageing and social inclusion. From a policy perspective, this points to the need for welfare measures and urban strategies capable of strengthening family and community networks, fostering intergenerational spaces and services, and encouraging forms of mutual support between younger and older generations.
Such insights may inform the design of integrated welfare policies that go beyond a strictly assistance-based approach, promoting instead preventive, relational, and community-oriented interventions. In this sense, the research contributes to evidence-based reflections on how urban welfare policies can enhance the well-being of older people while simultaneously reinforcing social cohesion and intergenerational solidarity at the local level.
Forthcoming