With the growing number of seniors in our societies and the changes in their lifestyle, it is necessary to rethink our vision of housing to conceive homes that better meet their new expectations. Find out about the proposals of our think tank, guided by the French sociologist Serge Guérin, to contribute to ageing well in place.
Proposal 3: Offering residents a platform for managing everyday services
What are the objectives of this platform?
This type of system must make it possible to respond to two challenges: making seniors’ lives easier and helping seniors maintain a social role by helping them feel useful.
Two options are available:
– Service exchange between neighbours: members exchange services paid for with an artificial currency, with which they can use other services offered by their neighbours. Examples: babysitting, maths tutoring, cooking, massage, haircutting, etc. – Partnership with local artisans and professionals: the service platform can also include services for a fee, especially for technical interventions that require expertise and emergency services.
What are the benefits for the different actors?
For the tenant:
– Guarantee of more available local services
– Services at a controlled cost (services paid for with time or negotiated through agreements)
– Relief for family caregivers, often overworked
For the housing provider:
– Prevent deterioration
– Prevent risk of falls and domestic accidents for the most fragile seniors (process to make the home safer)
– Response to growing demand from tenants for more services
Two examples of successful service platforms
The Accorderie, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris: a place where neighbours can exchange services; participants bill each other for time spent according to the services provided and use an online platform. The association has a centre and two employees provide support for the project, which is financed by public and private partners.
The Immobilière Podeliha home maintenance and odd jobs service: tenants of Habitat Senior Services -certified residences can benefit from the services of professionals for home maintenance and odd jobs at preferential prices. To do so, they purchase a subscription (about €2-3/month).
To learn more about this proposal, check out our “Ageing well at home” brochure.
