Creating Age-friendly Communities for Older People: A Case and Implementation Study on Ibasho

At the core of the project lies the Ibasho concept, originating in Japan and initiated by Dr. Emi Kiyota, which explores innovative ways of creating inclusive and caring communities in later life. Ibasho is based on the idea that older people should not primarily be viewed as recipients of care, but as active co-creators of their living environments. Together with them, spaces for encounter, exchange, and mutual support are developed—sustained and led by local networks and a culture of participation.

In Ibasho initiatives implemented in Asia to date (including Japan, Nepal, the Philippines, and Singapore), it has been shown that such communities not only reduce social isolation, but also sustainably strengthen a sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and overall quality of life among older people. A defining feature is the participatory approach: planning, development, and operation of community spaces take place in close collaboration with older residents.

The present research project aims to systematically study this approach, so far primarily implemented in Asia, and to further develop it for the Swiss context. An ethnographic field study in existing Ibasho projects was conducted in 2024. Conversations and interviews focused in particular on questions of spatial design, social organization, long-term sustainability, and the limits these communities may encounter.

Building on these insights, the Ibasho approach is, in a next step, carefully adapted to the social, cultural, and institutional conditions in Switzerland. In close collaboration with Diakonie of the Protestant Reformed Church of the Canton of St. Gallen  and the Protestant Reformed Parish of Straubenzell  as local implementation partners, and together with older adults, the first Ibasho in Europe will be developed through a co-creation process. This process is not conceived as a simple transfer of a model or concept, but as a process of shared learning and adaptation, systematically integrating local needs, resources, and existing structures.

In the long term, the project contributes to the development of age-friendly neighborhoods and caring communities in Switzerland. It demonstrates how participatory approaches can foster social inclusion, strengthen intergenerational relationships, and enable new forms of communal living in later life.

Project Lead: Prof. Dr. Alexandra Cloots – OST, IGD
Contact Person at OST: Dr. Sarah Speck – OST, IAF