Creating possibilities for action in the presence of environmental barriers in the process of ‘ageing in place

The need for an understanding of ‘ageing in place ’ as a progressive process has emerged among researchers in the field of environmental gerontology. The aim of this study was to explore this process, in relation to home modification services. Four older adults who had applied for home modification services in one Swedish municipality were included. Data were collected by open interviews with the participants in their homes on subsequent occasions, from before the modification had been installed until recognised stability in the situation relating to the home modification. In the analysis, the concept of place integration was used as a tool to explore the active relations that connect people and context over time. The main findings show that the participants used creativity and initiative to direct future situations towards increased possibilities for action. This indicates that services aiming to support people ‘ageing in place ’ should be directed towards increasing possibilities for action rather than only facilitating activity performance. Furthermore, it can be concluded that if the service-users’ creativity and efforts are recognised as resources in design and provision of services, services that aim to support individuals who are ageing in place have the potential to be empowering.