The enablers and barriers to ageing in place in rural Ireland

Ageing in place has become a policy priority in Ireland and internationally. However, the experiences and perspectives of older adults living in rural areas remains relatively poorly understood regarding ageing in place. This research addresses this gap by documenting the views of older adults in rural areas of Ireland. It explores connectedness to physical and social environments and the enablers and barriers older adults experience in remaining in their homes and communities. Through collaborative, community-based participatory research, the complexity of attachment to place and the multidimensional factors that impact ageing in place are highlighted. The research finds that while the decline of services in, and remoteness of, rural areas can hinder ageing in place, people are generally highly attached to their homes and communities. Older adults identified factors to support their preferences about how and where they wish to age. A participatory and mixed methods study provides an understanding of ageing in place that is meaningful to older adults living in rural areas, and the findings of this research can help to inform ageing in place policy implementation within rural contexts.