Working with Older People

Purpose – This paper seeks to outline the ways in which the desire to age well is inextricably linked to the domains of community and associational life; relies for its strength on intimate, soft, human contact in addition to more distant, cold, professional services; can call on an abundance of untapped, local-based care and, with greater intentionality by policy makers and practitioners, can lead to better physical and mental health outcomes for senior citizens.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a reflection piece based on the proven qualities of asset-based community development as a process for convening conversations in communities – from which the latent, caring capacities of individuals and associations are unleashed – allowing communities to build from the inside out. Communities define an ageing well agenda for their locale and implement that agenda according to their capacities.

Findings – The paper finds that citizens and communities co-producing health outcomes will out-perform individuals reliant on professional medical services only.

Practical implications – Communities have immense resources for health creation; tapping those resources leverages more health benefits than professional medical interventions alone.

Originality/value – The paper challenges the omnipotent, medicalised, “sickness” model of healthcare and encourages the adoption of a model of healthcare in which citizens, older or otherwise, co-produce healthy lifestyles and health outcomes in their communities with the assistance of professionals.