To Örebro University

This project report derives from the ‘Equal Care - Alone but connected? Digital (in)equalities in care work and generational relationships among older people living alone’ (EQualCare), that is part of the Joint Programming Initiative More Years, Better Lives (JPI MYBL) funding programme. To quote from the original project proposal:

“EQualCare aims to further understanding of, and policy development on, the intersections of digitalisation with intergenerational care work and care relationships of older people living alone, and to contribute to reducing inequalities through collaboration and co-design. EQualCare interrogates inequalities by gender, cultural and socio-economic background both between and within countries, with their very different demographics and policy backgrounds.” (Equal Care - Alone but connected? …, 2020, p. 2)

The background to the project concerns the recognition that digitalisation has brought significant changes to perceived and enacted care relationships in terms of distance and proximity between people. Whilst the digital age adds new cultural expectations of care, collaboration and mutuality, it also has the potential to perpetuate inequalities between generations, income groups and countries. This is due at least in part to the care resources and infrastructure that are readily available. Moreover, as people live longer, seek more autonomous living, do not tolerate unsatisfactory family or household relationships, and are obliged for various reasons to live alone, either temporarily or on a more permanent basis, living alone has become a central theme to understanding later life. Living alone raises further specific challenges to care work and on- and off-line care relationships, particularly in contexts and situations where tensions with close or immediate hands-on physical caring, as well as caring responsibilities involving younger generations, arise. Thus, the relation of (self)care and digital webs of caring work towards and from family members, friends and indeed wider circles of neighbours, acquaintances and those of similar service or mutual co-operation organisations and networks is of great empirical, policy and societal interest. (Equal Care -Alone but connected? …, 2020, p. 2)