Photo: Mostphotos
2. Strengthening social connection and reducing loneliness
The session on social connection and reducing loneliness explored how cities and communities can foster inclusion and create both indoor and outdoor meeting places and spaces that encourage social interaction. In her introduction, moderator Anne Berit Rafoss from the Centre for an age-friendly Norway underscored the need to create and facilitate meeting places.
– Loneliness today is a global health threat. In many ways, meeting places are the most important thing we can do in age-friendly work, alongside housing and transportation. To create more accessible and inclusive age-friendly societies, meeting places must also reflect these qualities.
– Loneliness today is a global health threat. In many ways, meeting places are the most important thing we can do in age-friendly work, alongside housing and transportation. To create more accessible and inclusive age-friendly societies, meeting places must also reflect these qualities.
Meeting places can promote physical activities or social and cultural interactions. When developing meeting places, Anne Berit Rafoss lists several factors to consider. These include communication, accessibility, transport, diversity, and intergenerational spaces. The gatherings may be formal or informal, held indoors or outdoors.
Besides fighting loneliness, meeting places also act as a remedy for a related feeling: uselessness. This is especially evident during intergenerational meetings.
In our conversations with older people, they often express a desire to be heard and seen. But more than anything, they want their skills and knowledge to be utilised and put to good use.
Anne Berit Rafoss, Project Manager, Centre for an age-friendly Norway
In our conversations with older people, they often express a desire to be heard and seen. But more than anything, they want their skills and knowledge to be utilised and put to good use, Anne Berit Rafoss says.
In our conversations with older people, they often express a desire to be heard and seen. But more than anything, they want their skills and knowledge to be utilised and put to good use, Anne Berit Rafoss says.
Dominique Hauderowicz, Architect and partner, Dominique + Serena, Denmark: Thoughtful design for everyday encounters
Thoughtful architectural design can encourage daily interactions among different generations. Architect Dominique Hauderowicz shared insights from the transdisciplinary research project ‘Places We Meet,’ supported by the philanthropic organisation Realdania.
Dominique Hauderowicz argues that ageism is, in certain respects, embedded in urban spaces. Using age to categorise society can be practical, but it may also block the development of shared spaces across generations and age groups. While older individuals are more frequently affected by changes in body and mind that impact daily life, this should not lead to their health issues overshadowing their entire identity.
– People often ask us what a good meeting place for elderly people could be. And you can see how broad a point of departure we could have, Dominique Hauderowicz explains, as she shows some of the projects her company has been working on.
These examples include transforming an old station building into a workshop with a repair café, creating a cooking school for seniors linked to a local restaurant, and turning a storefront into a community space for residents of all ages.
– When we work on meeting places, it is very important that we do not only consider the specific building or room, but also take a broader look at the neighbourhood.
Dominique Hauderowicz underscores the need to consult local residents during the planning process to determine where people naturally move. It is usually easier to improve an existing place than to invent something from scratch. A key question is also whether the gatherings will focus on specific topics and how large the shared areas of the building need to be.
– We work with this as architects, but we all have a natural instinct for the spaces we inhabit. Usually, we find that institutional spaces don't feel natural; we don't feel at home there. This can often be changed through simple means.
Other key questions concern whether the space is age-specific or age-neutral, and whether it encourages or dictates specific roles.
– It is, for instance, very hard to take ownership of a place if you don’t have the keys to all the rooms, or if there is a coffee machine that you don’t know how to use. If you want to create spaces in which people exercise autonomy and initiate their own activities, it is important to consider these practicalities.
Some people find that barriers prevent them from using a meeting space. Feeling comfortable is vital for contributing and really meeting other people. Dominique Hauderowicz argues that a good meeting place should address two main themes: agency and belonging.
– Agency is about giving people the freedom and opportunity to engage in their own way. Belonging is about fostering social connection. Our foremost task is to create physical environments in which people can participate in ways that align with their ongoing and evolving wishes and abilities.
– It is, for instance, very hard to take ownership of a place if you don’t have the keys to all the rooms, or if there is a coffee machine that you don’t know how to use. If you want to create spaces in which people exercise autonomy and initiate their own activities, it is important to consider these practicalities.
Some people find that barriers prevent them from using a meeting space. Feeling comfortable is vital for contributing and really meeting other people. Dominique Hauderowicz argues that a good meeting place should address two main themes: agency and belonging.
– Agency is about giving people the freedom and opportunity to engage in their own way. Belonging is about fostering social connection. Our foremost task is to create physical environments in which people can participate in ways that align with their ongoing and evolving wishes and abilities.
Kenny Jansson, Coordinator for Age-friendly Uppsala, Sweden: “Man is the joy of man” – Norse social wisdom in an individualised modern society
Uppsala has been a social space for over a thousand years, playing key roles in politics, religion, and the economy. During Viking times, the value of community for happiness was acknowledged. After Christianisation, the church emerged as the societal core. Today, Kenny Jansson argues, much of that communal spirit from Nordic life has faded, replaced by modern societal changes that have made our communities more heterogeneous, secular, segregated, digitised, and individualised.
– Our independent freedom from others can foster loneliness, and loneliness is a threat to public health. Loneliness is a sign of societal and communal dysfunction, as social connection is the very fabric of human life itself, no matter your age.
– Our independent freedom from others can foster loneliness, and loneliness is a threat to public health. Loneliness is a sign of societal and communal dysfunction, as social connection is the very fabric of human life itself, no matter your age.
Loneliness is a sign of societal and communal dysfunction, as social connection is the very fabric of human life itself, no matter your age.
Kenny Jansson, Coordinator for age-friendly Uppsala, Sweden
To combat loneliness and foster social inclusion among older persons, Uppsala municipality has created social meeting spots for seniors. Known as Meeting Places 65+, these venues are distinct from other organised gathering spaces for different societal groups. Twenty years ago, these places mainly offered older adults a chance to meet for coffee. Over time, however, the concept has expanded and diversified, as Kenny Jansson describes.
– The meeting places have evolved to offer different kinds of activities for various types of people, ranging from providing social interaction to a wide range of activities linked to diverse interests.
Examples of themes include walks or outdoor gymnastics, knowledge-based lectures, cultural tours, other excursions, and sports activities. The activities are overseen by professionals.
To combat loneliness and foster social inclusion among older persons, Uppsala municipality has created social meeting spots for seniors. Known as Meeting Places 65+, these venues are distinct from other organised gathering spaces for different societal groups. Twenty years ago, these places mainly offered older adults a chance to meet for coffee. Over time, however, the concept has expanded and diversified, as Kenny Jansson describes.
– The meeting places have evolved to offer different kinds of activities for various types of people, ranging from providing social interaction to a wide range of activities linked to diverse interests.
Examples of themes include walks or outdoor gymnastics, knowledge-based lectures, cultural tours, other excursions, and sports activities. The activities are overseen by professionals.
– The personnel are increasingly composed of physiotherapists and other health professionals, and this rise in professionalism has led to more evaluation and collaboration with different actors.
Currently, the municipality, for example, also provides mobile pop-up meeting spaces in rural areas, as well as opportunities to take part in activities both in person and online from home. The organisers are also considerate of reducing barriers to participation by offering options to familiarise yourself with the activity online before your first visit or by organising welcoming days for new participants. Kenny Jansson says cooperation, mobility and flexibility are key.
Intergenerational activities are also organised, both in schools and elsewhere.
– In Uppsala, we are proud of our senior lunches in municipal schools. The concept is simple: older adults can enjoy a discounted meal at the school restaurant, fostering meaningful interactions between seniors and students.
By reclaiming the historical importance of community, Uppsala is actively weaving a more connected social fabric for its oldest citizens. By bridging generational and digital gaps, the municipality aims to ensure no one has to navigate the challenges of ageing in isolation.
Ramona Jacevica, Senior Librarian, Public Library of Galiņciems, Latvia: Creating Inclusive Library Communities and Age-Friendly Interest Groups Through Provision of Six Additional Services
Ramona Jacevica began her presentation with a quote from American professor R. David Lankes: "Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities.”
This philosophy underpins the mission of the library of Galiņciems to ensure that no member of society is excluded. The library was established in 1954 and, for most of its history, functioned in modest premises. But since 2023, the library has operated in a state-of-the-art facility and has implemented additional services specifically designed to foster age-friendly interest groups.
The library actively engages local residents in various cross-generational clubs, events, and activities that emphasise crafts, literature, creative writing, exploring nature and the local heritage, researching family histories, folklore, and folk wisdom.
– Older people are eager to bring us everything they believe needs to be preserved for future generations. The residents of Galiņciems have always felt a strong attachment to their place of living and to the people around them.
The library hosts literature and storytelling workshops focused on cherishing and preserving the local dialect, alongside cross-generational folklore initiatives that celebrate and document folk wisdom.
– Older people are eager to bring us everything they believe needs to be preserved for future generations. The residents of Galiņciems have always felt a strong attachment to their place of living and to the people around them.
The library hosts literature and storytelling workshops focused on cherishing and preserving the local dialect, alongside cross-generational folklore initiatives that celebrate and document folk wisdom.
– Our most beloved events within this category are our traditional culinary workshops, Ramona Jacevica explains.
The library supports family history research, enabling residents to build their own genealogical narratives. It also provides assistance in learning digital skills.
– We hold tech support sessions for seniors every Friday and assist people with various technological problems daily. We also serve as a meeting and support centre for individuals with visual and reading impairments, Ramona Jacevica explains.
These initiatives rely on a deep understanding of the local community’s cultural fabric. By leveraging existing social bonds, the library launched projects such as the award-winning "tree dressing" initiative, in which residents knitted colourful squares to create a public art display around the library. This project received a certificate of recognition from the Latvian Landscape Architecture Association.
Ramona Jacevica listed the library's success factors: fostering a cosy, informal, and family-like atmosphere; maintaining an interest-based database to tailor communication; and a total commitment to co-creation.
– We are aware of our regular visitors’ tastes and interests, and we listen to our community’s suggestions. We are keen to adapt to what our audience prefers and dislikes. We also keep people informed in a timely manner about events they might wish to attend. Our senior visitors favour direct calls.
By weaving local heritage with modern inclusivity, the Galiņciems library has become a vital communal hub. It stands as a testament to how a library can truly transform into the heart of its community through dedication to its people.
– We are aware of our regular visitors’ tastes and interests, and we listen to our community’s suggestions. We are keen to adapt to what our audience prefers and dislikes. We also keep people informed in a timely manner about events they might wish to attend. Our senior visitors favour direct calls.
By weaving local heritage with modern inclusivity, the Galiņciems library has become a vital communal hub. It stands as a testament to how a library can truly transform into the heart of its community through dedication to its people.
Saija Kultala, Senior Specialist, City of Turku, Finland: Building community and reducing loneliness with “Move close”-groups and Peer messengers
More than one-fifth of Turku's population is aged 65 or older. Over 10% face loneliness, and more than half exercise less than the recommended levels.
Saija Kultala emphasised that traditional communication methods often fail to reach the most isolated seniors. She highlighted the importance of “searching work", a proactive outreach approach. Historically, older adults in Turku have had little influence in planning city communications, which Kultala viewed as an obstacle to inclusion. The resulting solution, created with a broad network of partners, is the “Move close” (Liiku lähellä) model.
– We decided that we needed open, accessible, free-of-charge, group-based low-threshold physical activity groups that were available close to every residential area in Turku. We also needed to change our marketing strategy, emphasising the outreach work and face-to-face communication; to go where the people are and share the information directly with them, Kultala explained.
– We decided that we needed open, accessible, free-of-charge, group-based low-threshold physical activity groups that were available close to every residential area in Turku. We also needed to change our marketing strategy, emphasising the outreach work and face-to-face communication; to go where the people are and share the information directly with them, Kultala explained.
The Move close groups are shaped by their participants, who determine their content. The meetings take place once a week in locations near residential areas.
– We have an encouraging and accepting atmosphere. Anyone can participate according to their own abilities and interests. The focus is on the social component, building the community.
– We have an encouraging and accepting atmosphere. Anyone can participate according to their own abilities and interests. The focus is on the social component, building the community.
The impact on well-being is significant, with participants reporting improved mood, better functional ability, and enhanced physical condition. Saija Kultala highlights the Peer messengers (Lähilähetit) as the key element of the Move close model. These volunteers actively recruit by engaging directly with people, handing out flyers, and visiting neighbourhoods and shopping areas to promote group participation.
The effectiveness of this human-centric outreach work is reflected in the evaluation data: an overwhelming majority of participants learned about the groups through these Peer messengers, compared with only a fraction who found information online or on social media.
Saija Kultala noted that when stakeholders such as housing companies and businesses are approached proactively, they often share similar values regarding senior participation, facilitating essential collaborations that enable the establishment of groups in nearly every residential area of Turku.
