Join this Research Theme (Deadline: 1 November 2026)
 
 

Research Theme #1

Ageing Well in Place: Socio-Spatial Infrastructures and Caring Practices

Keywords: Older Adults; Ageing in the Right Place; Socio-Spatial Infrastructures; Caring Practices

 
 

Workshop Leaders (PIs)

 

Luz María Vergara
Universidad Diego Portales
luz.vergara@udp.cl

Gwendoline Schaff
Lund University
gwendoline.schaff@abm.lth.se

 
 

Research Theme Summary

Both in Chile and Sweden, population ageing is raising urgent questions about how older adults can age well in the right place. In both contexts, demographic change intersects with loneliness, unwanted isolation, and built environments that often fail to respond to older people’s physical, social, and care-related diverse needs. This workshop proposal therefore addresses the role of socio-spatial infrastructures and caring practices in supporting healthy and meaningful ageing. It focuses on two interconnected spatial scales: housing and neighbourhoods. At the housing scale, the workshop will explore affordable and intermediate collective housing forms, positioned between self-organised initiatives and institutionalised options, that may provide better conditions for ageing well (e.g., collaborative housing). At the neighbourhood scale, it will focus on proximity to services, transportation and amenities, the quality and accessibility of the built environment, and local climate related challenges. The proposal aims to exchange context-specific knowledge about socio-spatial infrastructures and caring practices for ageing well in the right place in Chile and Sweden, notably by combining current research frameworks and findings from ongoing projects in both countries. The workshop seeks to foster an interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment for early-career and senior researchers, in order to identify common research questions and challenges, comparative case-study opportunities, key stakeholders, and pathways for future collaboration, including joint grant applications, publications, and a Chile–Sweden research network on ageing, housing, care, and the built environment.

 
 

Desired Expertise

The theme is structured to foster interdisciplinary collaboration by analysing interconnected spatial scales, particularly housing and neighbourhoods, through complementary theoretical and methodological perspectives. This approach inherently bridges multiple disciplines of social sciences, health sciences and humanities.

We welcome PhD candidates, early-career researchers, and senior researchers from fields including gerontology, urban sociology, urban planning, social anthropology, housing studies, architecture, social work, geography, environmental psychology, healthcare, and other social and health sciences.

The theme therefore encourages dialogue across disciplines and creates opportunities for collaboration among researchers working on ageing, housing, health, wellbeing, and community studies.

 
 
 
 

About the ACCESS Forum & Research Themes (RTs)

  • The ACCESS Forum is an immersive, bi-national event held every 18 months that connects scholars across Chilean and Swedish member universities to address global societal challenges. Rather than functioning as a standard academic conference with passive presentations, an ACCESS workshop operates as an intensive, dedicated "working laboratory."

    Participants commit to a single Research Theme (RT)—a targeted, co-led scientific initiative aligned with the ACCESS Research Framework. Over four days of collaborative work sessions, interactive discussions, and co-design activities, participants remain with the same cohort to move research ideas from concept to action.

  • By joining our workshop cohort at the upcoming ACCESS Forum, you will:

    • Co-Develop Concrete Outcomes: Work directly toward joint academic publications, collaborative grant proposals (e.g., ANID, STINT, Horizon Europe), co-supervision of PhD candidates, etc.

    • Cross-Contextual Insights: Exchange datasets, methodologies, and local perspectives between Chilean and Swedish contexts.

    • Expand Your Network: Connect with senior researchers, Early Career Researchers (ECRs), and non-academic stakeholders across both research and innovation ecosystems.

  • To apply for a seat in this Research Theme workshop, please review the desired expertise above and complete the application form before the registration deadline.


    IMPORTANT: Applications from ACCESS member universities will be prioritize.

    Apply here by 1 November 2026: XXX