Informal care networks, active aging and intergenerational solidarity in contemporary local communities

Abstract

This demonstrative article examines the informal care networks that support active ageing through a sociological reading of local contexts in which older people combine family relationships, neighbourhood and services. The central question is how elderly, family, neighbors, volunteers, health workers and social coordinators organize visits planning, transportation, company, home management and access to services while addressing the desire for independence and increasing need for support. The qualitative material is entirely synthetic and was created only to verify the editorial model of the magazine; it includes imaginary interviews, simulated observations and invented documents. The illustrative analysis considers the role of time, proximity, trust, income, accessible housing and knowledge of services and the effects of health, income, gender, family distance and housing quality. The proposed configurations suggest different possibilities to remain active, safe and recognized in their environment and invite you to discuss a care system that recognizes informal work without exploiting it. The contribution concludes that daily practices can only be understood by linking relationships, rules, infrastructure and meanings. No result describes real people or institutions: the text only serves to test length, hierarchy of titles, quotes, references and layout of the file.

Keywords

informal care; Active aging; social networks; autonomy; welfare welfare

JEL codes

I12; J14