Survey of older citizens on their living situation

FULDA (am/mkf). What concrete support do older people in the city of Fulda need? The city wants to find out with a survey of older citizens. To this end, it is working together with Fulda University of Applied Sciences. Mayor Dag Wehner and researchers from the university presented the project in the city palace.

Survey to start in September 2021

In September, 2000 randomly selected citizens in the core city will be surveyed. Those over the age of 65 who are selected will receive a questionnaire by post with questions about everyday eating, housework, housing and living, mobility as well as computers and technology. What is put on the table? Is housework done alone or commissioned? How comfortable do the older citizens feel? How do they get from A to B? And are computers and technology friends or foes? The city and the university want to find out more.

"We hope to learn more about the living situation of our older citizens through the survey, so that we can support them even better with services in the future. Anyone who receives a questionnaire has the chance to make their voice heard. You can't do anything wrong. We are happy about every answer," said Mayor and Head of Social Affairs Dag Wehner."

Previous research shows clear need for support

Fulda University of Applied Sciences has already been researching the topic of quality of life in old age for many years. "From our previous studies on the nutritional and everyday care of older citizens in Fulda, we know that the living situations are very different. This results in very different needs for support. So far, however, we have not been able to take the diverse life situations sufficiently into account, for example the situation of people with only a small old-age provision or the situation of men whose provision changes drastically due to the loss or illness of their partner," explains Professor Dr. Jana Rückert-John. The scientist is leading the survey together with two colleagues from Fulda University of Applied Sciences. The result is that existing services are often not taken up by people who tend to have a particularly high need for support. It has also been shown that those entitled to support often do not apply for benefits, assuming that they are not entitled. "We now want to determine the needs on a broader basis and thus gain insights for target group-sensitive offers."

University project enables survey specifically for Fulda

The survey takes place within the framework of the Regional Innovation Centre for Health and Quality of Life (RIGL-) Fulda, in which the city of Fulda is a practice partner. In the RIGL-Fulda, regional practice partners and the University of Applied Sciences Fulda work together on questions concerning health and quality of life in the region with the aim of developing sustainable solutions for the future. RIGL-Fulda offers the means and resources to investigate the care situation of older people in everyday life for the city of Fulda.
For the city of Fulda, the project offers new opportunities: "Older people - especially those with support needs - often do not go public with their wishes and problems. Now, for the first time, these are being recorded and scientifically evaluated, so that we can draw conclusions for our services for this target group," says the head of social affairs.
The topic is also of interest to science and politics beyond the region. As the proportion of older people in our society is increasing, many municipalities are facing similar challenges.

Participation made easy

The city and the university will use posters to draw attention to the survey: "We very much hope that many of the citizens who have been contacted will participate. They can help shape the supply situation in their city. The more feedback we receive, the more precisely we can determine what support older people need in the city," emphasises Professor Dr. Jana Rückert-John.

To make participation as easy as possible, the University of Applied Sciences Fulda offers telephone support in answering the questionnaire, which is also available in foreign languages. Likewise, the contact persons in the contact points of the city districts as well as in the senior citizens' office of the city of Fulda will assist with questions. The selected citizens will receive detailed information with the questionnaire.

The results of the survey are expected to be available in spring 2022.

Contact person at the City of Fulda:
Stefan Mölleney
Head of the Office for Youth, Family and Senior Citizens of the City of Fulda
E-mail: stefan.moelleney@fulda.de

Scientific contact
at Fulda University of Applied Sciences (Department of Oecothrophology):
Professor Dr Christine Küster
Chair of Socioecology of the Private Household
E-mail: christine.kuester@oe.hs-fulda.de

Professor Dr. Jana Rückert-John
Chair of the Sociology of Eating
E-mail: jana.rueckert-john@oe.hs-fulda.de

Professor Dr. Stephanie Hagspihl
Professorship of Catering & Food Supply
E-mail: stephanie.hagspihl@oe.hs-fulda.de

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Background

About RIGL-Fulda
The Regional Innovation Centre for Health and Quality of Life (RIGL-) Fulda is the largest transfer project at Fulda University of Applied Sciences to date. In a total of ten implementation projects with more than 100 regional practice partners, solutions are being developed over a period of five years in the following five key innovation areas:
- Innovation to promote healthy food and the regional food system
- Social innovation as a prerequisite for quality of life and health
- Innovation in the health sector: Access, care, qualification
- Organisational innovation as a prerequisite for quality of life and health
- Technical innovation to support health and maintain quality of life
The RIGL-Fulda aims to promote transfer between science and regional practice partners. It is financed within the framework of the federal-state programme Innovative University with a total sum of almost ten million euros.

Supplementary quotations

Professor Dr. Christine Küster, Chair of Socioecology of the Private Household
"Studies on the quality of life of older people consistently show that satisfaction is determined to a large extent by housing or the living environment, i.e. the neighbourhood and the infrastructure. In order to know these conditions and design support services, this survey is a great opportunity for Fulda."

Professor Dr. Stephanie Hagspihl, Chair of Catering & Food Supply
"A balanced and enjoyment-oriented diet contributes significantly to health and well-being. However, if mobility is limited or there is a lack of support, then grocery shopping or the daily preparation of meals can become a major challenge."