Ageing in Place e Inclusive Design. Nuove domande di città per una società che invecchia

This contribution presents the main findings of the Inclusive AGEing in place (IN-AGE) research project, which explores the role of the spatial dimension in the quality of life of frail elderly people ageing at home. Three fundamental assumptions are considered in the research: - The ageing process entails increasing and diversified levels of frailty that almost entirely cover the spectrum of physical and cognitive disabilities; - These frailties affect the usability of urban space, condition functions, activities and social relations, and lead to processes of isolation among the elderly; - The conditions of the spatial context (at three scales: housing, building, and neighbourhood) become decisive in the subjective perception of one's quality of life. Based on these assumptions, the fundamental objective of the research was to empirically investigate the condition of frail elderly people ageing at home through three main actions (Ranci et al., 2023). The first aimed to build a critical-conceptual framework on universal accessibility, and on the situations and variables affecting the quality of life and social isolation of frail elderly people ageing at home (Herbes et al., 2017). The second involved an in-depth survey, conducted through semi-structured interviews with 120 frail and socially isolated elderly people in three Italian regions (Lombardy, Marche, and Calabria) focusing on the material and social constraints of the housing context at the three scales (housing, building, city); the third identified and compared, at the European level, innovative policy practices in support of elderly people ageing at home. In this article, we will trace the main trajectories of the scientific debate on the relationship between spatial context, inclusive design and ageing in place. We will comment on the results of the qualitative-quantitative survey carried out in the field, highlighting the perception of urban spaces expressed by elderly participants and the critical issues emerging in terms of barriers to autonomy in public space. Finally, we will propose some lines of action aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of the built environment on quality of life and the risks of social isolation.