Vicino – elderly migrants in their neighbourhood
Social networks and participation

At a glance
- Project leader : Dr. Sylvie Johner-Kobi
- Project team : Milena Gehrig
- Project status : completed
- Funding partner : Foundation (Pro Senectute Schweiz, Walder-Stiftung)
- Project partner : Pro Senectute Aargau, Pro Senectute Kanton Zürich und Kanton Aargau
- Contact person : Sylvie Johner-Kobi
Description
The research and development project vicino looks into the question of how elderly mig-rants are interconnected in their neighbourhood, and which participatory methods can be used to strengthen their existing social Networks and to incorporate elderly migrants into programmes to a greater extent. This project is a collaboration between Pro Senectute, in the cantons of Zurich and Aargau, and the ZHAW School of Social Work.
Initial Situation
As a source of social support, social networks in the neighbourhood
take on more importance for residents as they get older. To date,
there has only been peripheral research into the life situation of
elderly migrants in their residential neighbourhood. Also, there
are only a few projects for improvement of the social integration
of elderly persons with a migrant background within
neighbourhoods.
Objective
This project’s objective is to provide a guideline for
participatory incorporation of migrants into their neighbourhood.
Promotion of social support in the neighbourhood should ensure a
high qua-lity of life in the local area and a situation should be
achieved in which elderly migrants can live independently at home
for longer. The project also aims to strengthen coopera-tion
between science and practice, and to link innovative research
methods with interventions.
Methodology
The project consists of a research section, an intervention section
and a development section.
The research section involves assessing transnational networking,
the social integration of elderly migrants and their need for
networking in their neighbourhood, as well as investigating whether
this varies between rural and urban regions. Zurich Altstetten
(urban context), Uster (agglomera-tion community) and Reinach in
the canton Aargau (rural community) were chosen as research
sites.
The integration section is conducted in cooperation with the target
group. Here, intervention concepts for the strengthening and
enhancement of elderly migrants’ social networks are developed and
implemented, and the participatory approach is scientifically
evaluated.
In the development section, the task is to bundle the findings from
the first to project sections within a guideline for professionals
who work in the domain of ageing and migration. This guide-line
should help interested professionals and migrant organisations in
the further development of programmes.
Results
Formal and informal nationality-specific and language-specific
networks are particularly impor-tant for people who are not very
skilled in the local language. These networks perform functions
such as event organisation, in addition to playing a central role
in the provision of support and advice for elderly people. Smaller
municipalities and rural regions, unlike cities, do not offer much
in this regard, so the regulatory structures there in particular
are called on to actively approach elderly migrants and to
incorporate them into the development of programmes. The fact that
some elderly migrants often spend time in their countries of origin
is to be kept in mind here. Upon addressing the target group,
outreaching approaches proved successful: initial contact via key
in-dividuals, events within their own structures and in their
native language, and informal meeting points for making
contact.
Publications
-
2021.
In:
First MIS Public Open Dialogues session on Active Ageing, online, 2 Juni 2021.
-
Gehrig, Milena; Guntern, Roland,
2018.
In:
3. Nationale Tagung «Gesundheit & Armut», Bern, 22. Juni 2018.
-
Johner-Kobi, Sylvie; Gehrig, Milena,
2017.
International Journal of Gerontology & Geriatric Research.
1(1), pp. 030-035.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3644
-
Johner-Kobi, Sylvie; Gehrig, Milena,
2017.
Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie.
51(7), pp. 807-812.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-017-1195-5
-
Guntern, Roland; Raymann, Andreas; Johner-Kobi, Sylvie; Gehrig, Milena,
2015.
Winterthur:
Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3646
-
Johner-Kobi, Sylvie; Gehrig, Milena,
2015.
Vicino : ältere Migrantinnen und Migranten im Quartier.
Winterthur:
Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3654
-
Guntern, Roland; Raymann, Andreas; Johner-Kobi, Sylvie; Gehrig, Milena,
2015.
Winterthur:
Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-3645