The Pinhal Autonomous Homes are built for active seniors with no family support who refuse to be institutionalized but can use the services of the association.
This project, implemented in 2011, was built in response to the need of
housing autonomous, lonely seniors who clearly need support for a more active and healthy aging.
The background supporting the development of this good practice
consists on the challenges around their access to adapted residences, information, support services and funding available for infrastructure improvement.
“Autonomous Homes in Pinhal” is a collection of eight aligned prebuilt
wooden houses, all with balcony and pine forest sight, which are
implemented in a green area, located at the back of "The Pioneers"
Association headquarters, in Mourisca do Vouga, Águeda.
This initiative also includes the creation of a picnic park, a playground and
a pedestrian path that facilitates and promotes the users’ mobility and
socialization, thus providing room for snacks, for walks and so on.
In this way, this practice provides the possibility for older citizens to stay
in their residential environments, although not in their original homes, while improving their quality of life, contributing to the stabilization or retardation of the aging process, and also preventing their abandonment, isolation and social exclusion. On the other hand, it also contributes to streaming the organization’s existing services and resources, making them usable and profitable for the community and thus promoting its sustainability.
Resources needed
The funding amount is related to the amount necessary to build the houses and, if necessary, to buy the land where it is settled.
As for human resources, there are several professionals involved, apart from the management and administrative ones, as there is also room for volunteers.
Evidence of success
The most valuable benefits obtained are the positive impact of the project
among its target group, in terms of a better quality of life, an active and
autonomous aging process, a greater socialization network and more
sustainable services to these older adults.
Tenants report they feel happier, safer and more secure than if they
lived alone in their original houses and find this as a much better
alternative than a nursing home, which they did not want as they are
autonomous still.
Difficulties encountered
The main challenges are connected to the lack of incorporation, by the Social
Affairs Ministry, of such practices in national legislation. This makes this activity not legal as a social service and does not allow any funding as such,
nor its scaling and expansion
Potential for learning or transfer
Has this good practice been adopted in other regions around the country or beyond?
Although we are not aware of any transfer activity at this point, we sincerely acknowledge the high replication potential of this project initiative. There are a few similar examples in other regions,
such as Aldeia da Mexilhoeira in Algarve, but we have no information
if there was any influence of this one on others.
Has this good practice implemented as a pilot programme or as an extended programme? In case it is a pilot programme, is there any plan for a wider implementation?
This good practice was not implemented as a pilot programme, nor
configurates itself as an extended programme.
Is this good practice being currently implemented on an on-going basis as a routine procedure?
Yes, it is currently ongoing at Mourisca do Vouga, Águeda, Portugal.
Tags: Ageing, Housing
