Ageing in place in urban environments: building collaborative organisations for later life

Ageing in place, which refers to the idea of supporting older adults to remain living in their homes and communities for as long as they wish, has emerged as a dominant approach in public policy. However, the wider urban context influencing how people age in place, together with the pressures on the places in which people age, has been the subject of much less discussion. In response, this article reviews different ways of supporting ageing in place, exploring this theme in the context of issues associated with widening urban inequalities, austerity policies, and the privatisation of services and spaces within cities. Building on this analysis, the paper assesses the potential of initiatives which can empower and support groups within the older population, highlighting developments such as the village model, naturally occurring retirement communities, cohousing, and compassionate communities. Reflecting on the strengths and limitations of these initiatives, the paper examines the possibilities for developing new approaches to ageing in place as a collaborative venture, drawing on the collective resources of older people themselves, transforming as a result the urban environments in which they are themselves key actors.