ELDERS Encourages Elderly Active Mobility Through Citizen Engagement and Public Realm Improvements
19% of European population was over 65 in 2016 and is to grow to 30%, which increases their healthcare needs. Since 2020, the elderly population has suffered an increasing process of social disconnection. During the COVID-19 pandemic 28.6% of older adults were suffering loneliness and 31.2% social isolation, provoking a long-lasting disruption of elderly networks and their exclusion. ELDERS enhances the elderly’s social inclusion and wellbeing by identifying, testing and improving walking routes in Masquefa through participatory processes and the installation of co-designed urban elements in the public space. The project aims to foster active living and independence among the elderly population. It involved the elderly of Masquefa’s urban and rural areas, and international architectural master’s students that facilitate the creation of the urban elements.
ELDERS was led by CARNET, who also developed the citizen engagement and active mobility workshops, and evaluated the urban elements. IAAC co-designed the urban elements with their students and the elderly people, to then fabricate and install them in the public space. Masquefa was the city partner providing the contact with the elderly and the study areas. The project is co-funded by EIT Community New European Bauhaus (NEB).
There were four main activities in the project. First, a workshop for the elderly to choose four walking routes and analyse all areas of Masquefa in terms of walkability. Second, these routes were walked and evaluated by the elderly in another workshop. Third, a co-design workshop with the elderly and the design students to decide on the location and specifications of the urban elements. Fourth, an inauguration to test and evaluate the urban elements in the chosen locations of La Beguda Alta and El Maset. These areas were chosen because they are in frequent walking routes, but they also connect the urban and rural areas of Masquefa, integrating both groups of elderly people. The urban elements were benches fabricated with kilometre 0 wood from Collserola Park, which offer a flexible design that allowed for multiple uses and different types of users.
89 elderly people were involved in the project and most of them cited an increase in the duration and frequency of their walks. As well, they highly valued the network of elderly people that walking created, the participatory process and the urban elements, highlighting their impact on their walking experience. ELDERS addressed the key challenges of reducing social isolation and improving the physical and mental health of the elderly by encouraging walking while involving them in an engagement process that encouraged their independence, participation and community building. Access the project report here.
