Get active in your community, share your life
Asked to design around being active for a long life, the team initially thought they would build a mobility aid, assuming that elderly people around Bergamo struggle with physical activity. While that is a very real issue for many, the majority of people interviewed (5 people ranging from 60-80 years old) were very comfortable walking everywhere, doing regular activities like cooking and hiking, and generally taking care of themselves. However, the team found that not only was physical activity important to maintaining their independent lifestyles, but also it was a major part of their regular socialization.
The team realized that creating mobility aids or physical activity groups was not needed for the people they had talked to, and instead acted out various situations and products that might encourage activity through mitigating social isolation. They landed on their final concept “Me & Thè” which pairs skill learning and sharing in a social environment. Each week, two elderly people are paired together and tasked to create a small gift for each other based upon their skillset or experience.
The experience starts with a volunteer visiting an elderly person and presenting to them their partner’s interests. In the week, each person develops an idea for a small gift they can present to their partner at the end of the week. The goal is to utilize one’s existing skill set or learn new skills in order to complete the gift, which can be a physical object, story or experience like a hiking group. At the end of the week, all the elderly convene in a social gathering and share their gift with their assigned partner. The exchange hopefully cultivates a moment of connection that they can develop into a friendship!
By creating a social gathering that encourages experience sharing, new friendships can develop.
