This report explores the experiences and
preferences of older adults on ageing in place
in rural Ireland. This exploration is undertaken
through a participatory mixed-methods approach
that seeks to foreground the voices of older
adults themselves. The research study involved
two phases. Phase one entailed a nationwide
online and postal survey co-constructed
with Age Action’s Glór advocacy group and
University of the Third Age (U3A) membership
and distributed to Age Action members living
in rural areas across Ireland. 218 people aged
55 and older who live in rural areas took part in
the survey and every county was represented,
with 45% of respondents from Munster, 36%
from Leinster, 12% from Connaught, and 7% from
Ulster. Phase two involved a series of four focus
groups in which 19 people took part. The focus
groups explored the survey themes
in more depth.
The research highlights the diversity of
experience of home and community among the
older adults in rural Ireland who took part. Most
participants expressed a strong desire to remain
in their homes and communities as they age. The
sense of attachment to home and place had, for
many, strengthened since the pandemic. Some
participants, however, highlighted the tenuous
nature of their living arrangements and their
sense of alienation from place.
This was particularly the case for the
participants who were renting, who had
recently moved locations to be closer to
children, or who found the limited facilities and
social opportunities in their rural environments
restrictive.
Whether they were settled in their homes and
communities or not, all participants highlighted
the uncertainty of their positions and their
fears for being able to have their preference
for remaining in place realised as they aged.
This was related to unpredictable factors such
as their future health needs and availability of
home care, their ongoing ability to drive, or their
capacity to afford to live independently given the
ambiguity surrounding future pension provision
and the escalating costs associated with utilities,
healthcare, home maintenance and expenses
related to rural living, such as security, water,
and sewerage costs.
The general decline of towns and villages was
highlighted by participants, as was the poor
coverage of public transport in rural areas.
These aspects not only heightened the sense
of isolation of participants in terms of access to
services and social activities; they also served
to heighten their sense of marginalisation
and perceived loss of agency in terms of
policy formation and political representation.
Participants also noted the limited options
available to them should they consider moving
from their rural locations, something that would
be particularly challenging for most given
their emotional connection to their homes and
communities. The lack of affordable and suitable
housing for older adults was a particular concern.
Most participants were strongly opposed to
nursing homes, a view which the experience
of the pandemic had often reinforced. While a
small number saw their benefit in cases of critical
care, most were dissatisfied with the current
‘Fair Deal’ Scheme for funding nursing home
care. They argued that, instead of focussing
resources on a nursing home option not favoured
by older adults, the government should develop
an alternative statutory home care scheme that
would support older adults to remain in their
homes as they age.
The supports which were noted as important in
relation to allowing adults to age in their homes
included a more accessible and fit-for-purpose
grant system to fund modifications to the home
– the most popular of these being an emergency
response system, bathroom modifications, and
improved heating. The need for a properly paid
and resourced home help service, as well as
a home and garden maintenance service, was
emphasised. This was especially the case given
the changing reality of ageing in Irish society and
the fact that many older adults cannot rely on the
availability or ability of family members to care
for them in their homes.
Access to broadband in rural areas was also
noted as crucial, not only given the fact that
more aspects of daily services are being
conducted online but also given the importance
of a reliable broadband connection in facilitating
isolated rural older adults to connect to others.
Participants highlighted their enjoyment of
meeting each other and realising their difficulties
were shared despite their diverse locations as
benefits of the research process in the current
study. They argued for the need for training in
technology which could be a significant enabler
to their remaining in place, as opposed to
presenting a barrier to their doing so. They also
argued that there was a need to tackle the covert
ageism which was seen as endemic in institutions
and everyday interactions, and which served to
marginalise older adults further.
Participants noted their preferences were they
to need additional supports which could not be
provided in their homes in the future. In this case,
their favoured options would be co-operative or
sheltered housing and retirement villages. These
options were available for very few participants
locally, however, meaning that they would be
required to move from their communities, as well
as their homes.
The research, while small in scale resonates with
global research on the theme,1
and highlights
that the ability of older adults to age in place
requires coordination among several different
policy areas, not least housing, transport,
technology, and healthcare. There is a need to
adjust the funding focus from moving people
who need help out of their homes to ensuring
that the help they need is available to them in
their homes for as long as possible. There is also
a need to develop housing options, other than
nursing homes, to address people’s preferences
should staying at home be no longer a feasible
option. Finally, and most importantly, there is
a requirement to listen to older people in rural
areas about where and how they wish to age
in ways that support their sense of agency and
challenge flawed assumptions about ageing. This
research seeks to contribute to that aim both
through its focus and its process