Understanding collaboration and local development–a Swedish case study on different actors’ roles and perspectives

Abstract

Ten years ago, the concept of retirement homes ceased to exist in Sweden. This was a result of the Delegation on Elderly Living’s suggestion whereby the terminology for and characteristics of accommodation for the elderly changed. This makes it hard to plan and change how the elderly live in Sweden. When it comes to renovating housing for the elderly, the municipalities and property owners do not know how to deal with the situation. This is despite the fact that the situation in Sweden is the same as many other countries around the world: the population is ageing and there is a clear need for housing for the elderly. This case study examines a project to renovate a building complex which has failed to get started. The analytical framework of collaborative governance has been adapted and used as inspiration for understanding this at a local level. From a narrative perspective, mixed methods were used. Two conclusions are drawn. Firstly, the concept of drivers for collaborative governance helps to explain why the project was difficult to realise. Secondly, both the categorisation and concept of housing for the elderly have changed with policy implications.