The local service center in Herentals was required, by decree, to do a neighbourhood analysis. This gives them their recognition for the local service center. From the caring neighbourhood analysis, several needs and questions emerged in the neighbourhood Morkhoven: needs that resulted from the questionnaire for the older residents, but also by mapping out the neighbourhood. From this analysis, an impact plan was drawn up: what does the local government want to work on so that it contributes to the well-being of the older residents. The analysis mapped the village, but the older adults were also surveyed. The older residents reported a shortage of basic facilities such as basic facilities. But there were also signs of loneliness and too little family caregivers who found their way to support. The impact plan articulated actions in order to meet these challenges. An example is organizing the market so that there were basic facilities in the village. The village café during the market that contributes to meeting people. A senior citizens’ service that provides social contact and daycare for the elderly. The interviews allowed us to follow up on the changes in the village and see what it meant for the older residents. Thus, we mapped whether the actions contribute to the intended impact. We also followed up with another local board. This way we can articulate working elements for other practices working on caring neighbourhoods.

Older people in general, Older people with chronic health conditions or disability, Older people with vulnerabilities, Both older and younger people

Health, Information and Communication, Urban development, Other

Government, Older People's Association, Health Care, Social Care

Older people were consulted during the planning process

Thomas More and the Province work on caring neighbourhoods in a sustainable and structural way. Therefore, they decided in the empowercare project to focus on the working elements in developing caring neighbourhoods. In this way they can use the results as tools for other practices working on caring neighbourhoods. In addition to the empowercare project, we are working on a support package ‘caring neighbourhood analysis’ to provide organizations and local governments with tools in working on caring neighbourhoods. The findings of the empowercare project will also be included in this. Second, as Herentals worked on caring neighbourhoods many new collaborations emerged. This is one of the key elements in working on it. Actions such as organizing the market with a village café requires strong internal partnerships, such as the market organizer and technical service from the local government. It also requires external collaborations such as with the market vendors or volunteers. Throughout working on the actions of caring neighbourhoods, their collaborations expanded. For example, the local school also promoted the market to children and let them color a drawing plate to drop off at the market. In this way, they want to connect young and old at the market. The senior citizens’ service also demonstrates the importance of local collaborations. The local baker maintains a warm contact with the elderly, which is an added value to them. They can eat from local leftover pastries (sustainable neighbourhood) and feel recognized by a local actor who takes time to meet them.

Caring neighbourhoods has impact in several ways: - Information offered via informal caregiver café - Residents feel heard, including elderly residents - Older adults can meet each other at the market and seniors’ service center. Needs can be detected in these places. - Improved collaboration. A first example is that the local board organized an informal caregiver café after finding out there lives many informal caregivers in Morkhoven. Second, by organizing the market and senior citizens' activities, older adults meet each other in the neighbourhood itself. This prevents social isolation. It contributes not only to meeting, but also to detecting needs. Older people dare to ask their questions to the professional. The market contributes not only to connection between the elderly, but also between young and old in the neighbourhood. In addition, there are more collaborations in the neighbourhood, for the neighbourhood, with organizations and key people such as the local bakery and the school. This enables a local network of actors in the neighbourhood. Finally, working on caring neighbourhoods also had an impact within local government. Internal services got to know each other better and worked more closely together for the realization of actions, such as the market. For the realization of this, the communication service, welfare and the market leader worked together. This improved internal cooperation can also benefit neighbourhoods. For example, they reach out to more neighbourhood residents through e.g. good communication and different services working on it.

The covid pandemic brought the challenge of putting actions into practice and also highlighted loneliness amongst the older adults. These challenges make it clear that caring neighbourhoods must be flexible, responsive to needs. It also brought challenges for interviewing the older residents: some were afraid of corona and the interviews of the first evaluation happened with a mouth mask which is not easy to read nonverbal behavior. Otherwise, it was a successful project with fine progress.

1) Connection is the central concept in working on caring neighbourhoods: connection between local residents, connection between local government and local residents, connection between the internal services of local government and connection with professional partners. Not to forget also connection of elderly people's strengths with the neighbourhood such as volunteering. 2) Caring neighbourhoods is an added value in preventing social isolation. Morkhoven worked more near the residents and in connection with the neighbourhood and its partners. Services were brought closer to the residents. This also increases well-being because individuals can ask their question in the neighbourhood and residents become more connected to each other. 3) Participation makes a caring neighbourhood possible. Having insight into what is going on in the neighbourhood is important before starting actions. The research shows that the support package caring neighbourhoods underpins, nourishes and structures the work on caring neighbourhoods. It is a dynamic thought process with various partners, internal and external. It substantiates what one is working on in the neighbourhood. It also ensures support for actions in the neighbourhood and creates a greater connection between local government and neighbourhood residents. Older people experience the market and the village café as theirs. This is a good example of involvement of the elderly. Also, they are not only caregivers but also have something to offer in the neighbourhood: volunteering, but also social chats in the neighbourhood among themselves are of great value.

Working toward caring neighbourhoods is an ongoing process. In that sense, it has no end date. The local government will keep on working in responding to the needs in the neigbourhood Morkhoven, for young and old. In this way the end date is not 2023, but endless. The project Empowercare, where we support the local governments and research the working elements in building on caring neighbourhoods will end in 2023.