Involving Older People in Co-creation of Social Health Promoting Activities in a Senior Village

BACKGROUND: Since 2018 the municipality of Esbjerg has been engaged in the WHO global network for age-friendly cities in which they are obligated to have age-friendly visons and strategies. With an establishment of a senior village with shared facilities, the municipality offers its older citizens an environment with opportunities to co-create social activities. Experiences of co-creation initiatives with older people are sparse and it is thus important to explore the benefits and drawbacks of this initiative. OBJECTIVES: To co-create social activities with older people in senior village with shared facilities to develop a sustainable solution to the welfare challenge of a rising number of older people and a lack of staff to keep up the level of service for securing health and well-being in old age. METHODS: The co-creation initiative consisted of an initial information meeting inviting older people interested to participate in social activities followed by a series of workshops framing activity groups with concrete ideas for activities. Employees from the municipality facilitated the workshops and attended all activity groups during implementation. RESULTS: 150 older people attended the information meeting and the following workshops generating 12 activity groups, each managed by one or two older people. However, interviews with older people involved in the co-creation process suggested barriers for co-creation at both individual and organizational level: Personal resources for organizing and managing social activities among older people were less than expected due to high average age of participants, while the level of information from the municipality on the intention, aim and anticipations on active involvement of citizens was scanty. CONCLUSIONS: Informing older people about the intentions and aim of a co-creation process and aligning expectations between stakeholder is essential early in the process to guide the optimal utilization of personal and organizational resources.