Aging & Social Change: Fourteenth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

Faced aging populations, public policies align with the desire of the elderly to remain at home and maintain autonomy. However, few theoretical and practical tools are currently available to support this desire. To this end, the concept of “enabling space” was proposed, aiming to create environments allowing elderly people to live independently while being integrated into their community. We discuss the development of concept of enabling space through an analysis of different cases aiming to operationalize it and determine its contribution to a plural aging population (inclusion, fulfillment, and community engagement). The objective is to show how these environments can improve the quality of life for elderly by encouraging their active participation in society. The concept analysis method was used for development; this involves the use of case studies. This helps to understand different dimensions of the concept and identify key elements for implementation. This approach also allows for analyzing the challenges and opportunities related to creating enabling spaces. Three cases (typical, opposite, and borderline) helped identify and categorize the six central attributes and the factors facilitating or hindering the establishment of enabling environment. Examples will present these dimensions and the associated issues, particularly in anticipating the evolution of the elderly and a plural aging process. The development of living environments capable of responding to the plurality of aging must be supported by interdisciplinary and intersectoral reflection. The concept of an enabling environment is discussed in relation to the goal of empowering the elderly in their choice of living environment.