Introduction

Theoretical insights from environmental gerontology suggest that improving the environment where older people live has a positive impact on reducing disability and minimising the loss of autonomy as people age (Wahl and Oswald, 2010). Frail older people living in urban environments, however, often experience neighbourhood exclusion – or what Kelley-Moore and colleagues have termed ‘erasure’ (see Chapter Four), an extreme form of social exclusion whereby frail older people remain ‘unseen’ in cities. Hence, the need to develop urban communities able to increase opportunities for maintaining and enhancing the quality of life of vulnerable and excluded groups of older people is assuming greater urgency within social policy.

Against this background, this chapter addresses the following question: how can an age-friendly urban environment support frail older people to ‘age in place’? To answer this research question, the chapter describes the Active Caring Community project, a ‘care living lab’ that aims to support frail older adults to age in place in two disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Brussels, Belgium. A ‘living lab’ comprises an experimental environment in which new innovative technologies, services and products can be tested. Such labs benefit from the fact that end users and stakeholders are involved in the development, testing and evaluation of innovative developments in a real-life environment. The value of this approach, however, has yet to be assessed in the context of the complexities that beset disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods, especially those that arise from accelerated social and economic change.

The chapter, first, presents the demographic and social context of the Brussels-Capital region; second, it describes the ‘living lab’ concept as it was applied in two disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods; and third, it presents qualitative research findings highlighting how age-friendly social environments can support active ageing and ageing in place. Finally, the chapter concludes with critical reflections and a discussion about those local social environmental opportunities that are key to counterbalance the frailty of older people living in disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods.

Facts and figures about Brussels

Brussels, the capital of Belgium and Europe: a complex political System

Belgium is a federal state subdivided into three regions: the Flemish region, the Walloon region and the Brussels-Capital region.