Enhancing Well-Being Among Older People in Greenland through Partnerships of Research, Practice and Civil Society

This article focuses on the methodology of the project Ageing in the Arctic (AgeArc) – Wellbeing, Quality of Life and Health Promotion among Older People in Greenland, and how the use of a collaborative approach aims at integrating ageing research, practices and policies to the benefit of the Greenlandic society. Thus, the aim of the article is to discuss how collaboration between research and practice can be an important factor in sustainable development of welfare solutions for older people in Greenland. In the project we study ageing policy, homecare, institutions, professional practices and municipal administration of these as well as older people’s health, well-being, everyday life and historical perceptions of the roles of older people in Greenland. Moreover, researchers and municipalities collaborate on developing policies, initiatives within municipalities and civil society as well as creating network across the municipalities and between municipal administrations and civil society. In addition to this, we develop educational material for healthcare workers and professionals and work to create more public awareness about ageing in Greenland. We present three examples of our collaborative methods and discuss how the approach influences development and implementation of specific co-creation projects involving researchers, professionals and citizens on equal terms.