Elderlearn: When Frail Older People become Volunteers
The purpose of the project was twofold: to connect the Elderlearn initiative with research and knowledge in the field of older people and to generate new knowledge about what happens when frail older people are engaged as volunteers.
In collaboration with the social economy organization Elderlearn, Fonden Ensommes Gamles Værn, and CoRe, the project will involve for five months following the initiative and its spread from nursing homes to home care and out into the Danish municipalities. Through a follow-up research, CoRe will generate knowledge about the impact of Elderlearn on the social life of older people.
The goal of the social enterprise Elderlearn is to help frail older people to combat loneliness by creating contact between them and foreigners learning Danish. Through conversation, Elderlearn develops meaningful relationships that empower frail older people to assist others and be a resource for society through volunteering.
Based on the research question “What do social relations between older people and volunteer Danish students signify and how are they created?”, the fieldwork revolves around the issues of volunteering, socializing, life stories, and connections between the paired partners.
Using ethnographic methods such as semi-structured interviews and participant observation and ethnological analysis, we have obtained insights into how Elderlearn is used by the Danish students and older volunteers and what it has meant for them.
The close collaboration between Elderlearn and CoRe has facilitated the acquisition of key points from the research analysis and their direct implementation in the journey of an Elderlearn user.
Researchers
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aske Juul Lassen | Associate Professor |
Fournier, Nanette
