Investigation of co-creation activities for elderly citizens in the Municipality of Ishøj

A new research project based at Copenhagen Centre for Health Research in the Humanities (CoRe) and Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Copenhagen (CEHA) studies co-creation of activities for elderly people in the Municipality of Ishøj. The co-creation processes involve citizens, volunteers and municipal employees who work together to create sustainable life-quality promoting activities for elderly people.

One such initiative is the formation of a support-network for families of people with dementia. Municipal employees, volunteers and relatives of people with dementia are currently planning and developing the supportive activities.

The researchers conduct interviews and observational studies plus organize an investigatory workshop with stakeholders. The project follows different collaborative activities in Ishøj and explores what types of roles, relations, and activities arise in the co-creation processes.

Through the qualitative studies of meeting-points between municipal and private actors the project explores how the cooperation takes place and brings new insights into the possibilities and barriers of collaboration.

The project will result in oral and written presentations of project outcomes and a descriptive article written by the researchers and municipal employees.

The Municipality of Ishøj has funded the project with 80.000 DKK. The project is headed by postdoc Aske Juul Lassen and associate professor Astrid Jespersen. Research assistant, Cammilla Bundgård Toft, is daily coordinator of the project which is based at Copenhagen Centre for Health Research in the Humanities and Centre for Healthy Aging at the University of Copenhagen.