Abstract (original)

Extending Ageing in Place beyond its conventional boundaries is essential for addressing the relational and spatial dimensions of ageing. This study explores how community-based initiatives can reframe Ageing in Place as a dynamic, socially embedded process that fosters participation, belonging, and shared responsibility.

Using ethnographic methods, we examine Ibasho, a community-led initiative that empowers older adults to co-create and manage intergenerational spaces. Fieldwork was conducted at four Ibasho sites – Japan, Nepal, the Philippines, and Singapore – through participant observation, ethnographic mapping, and over 80 qualitative interviews and group discussions. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Findings show that Ibasho enhances wellbeing, self-worth, and social connectedness by enabling older adults to assume meaningful roles and responsibilities. Activities such as gardening, handicrafts, and communal meals foster emotional resilience and strengthen community ties. These experiences align with concepts of generativity and notions of self-efficacy, illustrating how older adults can be active contributors rather than passive recipients of care. However, sustaining such initiatives poses challenges, particularly in low-resource settings where leadership and funding are inconsistent. Success depends on locally embedded coordination, adaptive design, and relational trust.

By reframing Ageing in Place as a community-based process, Ibasho offers a practical and adaptable framework for inclusive ageing that emphasizes participation, cultural sensitivity, and resilience, while still facing limitations like dependency on local commitment and vulnerability to fluctuating resources. Nevertheless, it illustrates how community-driven approaches can expand conventional understandings of Ageing in Place by foregrounding social processes and community-driven forms of support.