Active ageing in place. Modelli insediativi inclusivi e interfacce per i servizi al cittadino

Ageing in place is a recurrent topic on the political agendas of many European countries and it refers to the possibility for the elderly to live in their own homes for as long as possible and in conditions of independence. Public housing policies aimed at the recovery and enhancement of existing heritage are once again rewarding and unavoidable categories of intervention. These considerations become significant when we refer to the most fragile subjects living in marginal territories for whom the quality of living also becomes a structural issue: of praesidium and social welfare. In this sense ICT can increase the performance of private and public building heritage, in which virtual space balances the structural constraints and the new demands of physical space. Technologies supporting assisted living spaces represent a further research horizon able to complete the performance of an offer calibrated on the sitespecific needs of a diversified user base (user-centred design) according to lifetime home standards, and the realisation of eco-districts which foster people’s independence despite changing daily needs. In the light of these considerations, the research activity carried out by the UniGe-DAD Department moves towards the use of technologies for assistance and monitoring, as well as their integration in the design of solutions to support networks and services for inclusion, for intergenerational exchange and for the development of new sustainable models of open housing that enhance senior capital.