[Caring communes and locally responsible communities. Model approaches to securing successful aging and care in the neighborhood].

BACKGROUND: This article reports on two projects both concerned with how to initiate and support independent and satisfying aging in community settings and how to promote social participation in neighborhood solidarity in the future. The community plays an important role in this context, supporting independent living, social connectedness and individual well-being in old age.

AIM: Against the background of demographic and social changes and the related social challenges, the pilot projects focused on the problems of how the process of aging, which from an individual perspective can be seen as a life period with declining mobility and reduced options for action, can be influenced in a positive way.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The article describes the key experiences in the context of the two pilot projects entitled "VEGA-locally responsible communities and individual well-being in old age" and "Care mix in locally responsible communities". It focuses on the process results and identifies potential barriers to the implementation of the projects. In addition, this article also emphasizes the opportunities and advantages of social networking in local communities.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Based on the action research approach, neighborhood-specific results and need-based concepts have been developed, which have led to various subproject pathways for implementation. Among other results it was important that social networking and supportive neighborhood structures could be established, which are important conditions for sustainable anchoring in the residential quarter. Another important result was the fact that the communities as well as the different generations in the residential quarter were sensitized and activated for the topic "aging and well-being with social connectedness in local communities".