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Background: On two Care Innovation Units in the Netherlands, staff, students and Lecturer Practitioners work intensively together to provide care, create a rich learning environment, and to foster innovation and research. In striving to advance the quality of care and to develop person centred cultures a preference is given to participative forms of research in which diverse experiences and different types of knowledge are valued. Aims and Objectives: The research described here had two overarching aims: the improvement of practice situations and the encouragement of the integration of work and learning. This article focuses on our actions and learning with respect to fostering participation during this project. Design and methods: Within the action research methodology used, participative work-forms and research methods were chosen. For example, a responsive approach to evaluation of practice, use of narratives and the stimulation and use of creativity to help in exploring and sharing feelings, values and different forms of knowledge. In this article we use Arnstein's ladder of citizen participation to frame our reflection on enabling participation within this project. Results Participation took various forms and vacillated throughout the project. In addition to particular facilitation strategies, four factors emerged as influential in enabling or inhibiting aspects of participation among stakeholders: individual motivations and interests, the make-up of and atmosphere within the group, and the time made available to engage in research activities. Conclusions Participation in research is both more complex and dynamic than Arnstein's typology suggests. Moving 'up' the ladder may not be appropriate as a goal in and of itself. Instead, meeting and responding to each other's situations, as stakeholders, seems a more appropriate focus. Taking responsibility, as facilitator, for certain research activities, can free other participants to focus on elements which interest them and from which they derive satisfaction.
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In the Netherlands, there is a growing need for collective housing for older people to bridge the gap between ageing-in-place and institutional care facilities. Participation of older people in the concept and design phases is important to tune the market supply to the needs of (future) residents, yet social entrepreneurs find it challenging to involve older people. This commentary explores various ways older people can participate in the development of new housing initiatives. The ladder of citizen participation is applied to explore different roles that (future) residents could play with levels of influence varying from non-participation to citizen power. Considerations for meaningful participation are discussed, in order to show how collaborations can be formed between (future) residents and decision makers. Original article at: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9030301 © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI.
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In Nederland is er een groeiende behoefte aan collectieve huisvesting voor ouderen om de kloof tussen 'ageing in place' en institutionele zorgvoorzieningen te overbruggen. Participatie van ouderen in de concept- en ontwerpfase is belangrijk om het marktaanbod af te stemmen op de behoeften van (toekomstige) bewoners. Sociale ondernemers vinden het echter een uitdaging om ouderen te betrekken. Dit hoofdstuk verkent verschillende manieren waarop ouderen betrokken kunnen worden bij het ontwikkelen van nieuwe wooninitiatieven. De ladder van burgerparticipatie wordt hier gebruikt om verschillende rollen te verkennen die (toekomstige) bewoners zouden kunnen spelen met verschillende niveaus van invloed, van niet-participatie tot burgerkracht. Overwegingen voor betekenisvolle participatie worden besproken. Verder wordt een Nederlandse casestudy gepresenteerd waarin vastgoed werd getransformeerd op basis van de betrokkenheid van ouderen, die illustreert hoe door het gebruik van een innovatieve methode partnerschappen kunnen worden gevormd tussen (toekomstige) bewoners en besluitvormers. Dit hoofdstuk concludeert dat naast de huisvesting zelf, ook de gebouwde omgeving en de buitenomgeving in beschouwing moeten worden genomen om de leefomstandigheden van ouderen te verbeteren.