Research project Swedish elderly care faces growing demands and staff shortages, requiring a shift towards more proactive services. Launched in 2025, the Härnösand Initiative promotes proactive approaches and staff competence development. Using mixed methods, the study examines perceptions among older residents and staff, and its potential to support active and healthy ageing.
The Härnösand Initiative is based on a systems approach aimed at developing sustainable solutions to complex municipal challenges. However, knowledge is limited regarding whether system-level initiatives achieve intended health and economic outcomes. Using mixed methods, the project examines ageing and age-friendliness over time and compares results with three similar municipalities. The aim is to develop a model for evaluating municipal initiatives promoting active and healthy ageing.
Swedish health care and social services for older adults is challenged by increased needs, staff shortages and skills needs to transition to more proactive activities. The Härnösand initiative is based on a systems approach with the intention of establishing effective and sustainable solutions through proactive working methods and skills development for staff. However, there is a lack of knowledge about whether initiatives at the system level have intended effects in terms of health and economy.
The aim is to describe and understand motivation to active ageing and how active ageing is characterized and develop over time in the context of the Härnösand initiative (HI). Data collection is implemented at baseline and after two years. A qualitative study focuses on how informal carers and older adults describe and understand their motivation related to active ageing within and engagement in the context of the HI. A survey study focuses on what characterizes active ageing in the population aged 65+ across Härnösand and three comparable municipalities and how active ageing changes over two years.
The project studies active ageing and age-friendliness at the beginning of the initiative and over time with mixed methods by an interdisciplinary research team, with the involvement of stakeholders throughout the research process. The analyses are based on register and questionnaire data as well as qualitative data collected with different groups of elderly people, relatives and staff in Härnösand and three control municipalities.
Proactive working methods can be seen as a strategy for creating age-friendly societies with significance for individuals in the form of improved health, for organizations and professions in the form of sustainable implementation of research-based knowledge. The project generates knowledge about how system-level initiatives to promote active and healthy ageing can be understood and evaluated.
The project is a collaboration between Umeå University, Lund University and Härnösand Municipality, where a municipal employed doctoral student completes the doctoral education at Umeå University. The project is based on the research project Health care and social services for older adults in the context of age-friendly cities and communities: Can system-thinking and cooperation on a broad front pay off? led by Professor Susanne Iwarsson at the Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments at Lund Universit.
