The relationship between participation and space in residential care facilities for older people

Background: Participation has been a key issue in gerontology, geriatric care policy and practice for several years now. The relationship between participation and space plays a role in the discussion about community orientation. So far, little attention has been paid to the relationship between participation and space within residential care facilities for older people.Material and methods: Qualitative data from two studies on residential care facilities for older people were secondarily analyzed by a "supra-analysis" and using qualitative content analysis with respect to participation in relation to space and space in relation to participation.Results: Almost all levels of the participation ladder considered can be found with respect to the co-design of spaces, although residents with dementia are granted fewer opportunities for participation. In addition, spaces can create conditions for participation through their arrangement. Reciprocal relationships are condensed in processes of space appropriation, design and planning. If there is no access to these processes, self-determined everyday life is limited.Conclusion: The results contribute to a spatially related development of participation concepts because they show in which spatial contexts participation is produced in institutional settings through the interaction of different actors and how it is distributed spatially. In order to promote participation in institutions, it is important to reflect on existing possibilities for spatial appropriation, design and planning against the background of institutional framework conditions.