Problem addressed

The ageing of the population in Maine-et-Loire is particularly pronounced, especially in rural areas, and is set to increase significantly. Today, 20 per cent of the department’s population is aged 65 and over, and 3,500 people join the over-65s category every year.

There is a high level of vulnerability amongst this section of the population, who are often isolated and whose homes are falling into disrepair due to a lack of maintenance. Nearly 6 per cent of homes occupied by people aged 65 and over are thus identified as ‘potentially unfit for habitation’, amounting to 3,500 homes across the entire department.

Furthermore, whilst new-build construction continues to rise, the department has more than 25,000 vacant or unoccupied homes, the upkeep of which is poorly managed or neglected. Consequently, an entire built heritage is falling into disrepair and requires decisive action to safeguard it.

Innovative solution

Since 2013, the association has been creating shared living spaces designed in collaboration with local residents – spaces that foster connections and independence – so that housing can support a happy and independent old age in rural areas!
Since 2018, it has also been running discussion workshops to enable everyone to reflect on and choose their living arrangements for today and tomorrow. Supporting and guiding pensioners as they consider their housing choices seems essential.

 

Supporting the decision-making process: 

Through its commitment to enabling everyone to consider and choose their current and future housing, the association develops initiatives to support older people as they consider their housing options.

Furthermore, it now supports local councillors in developing housing for older people within their local areas.

 

The three Habit'âge homes:

The association is responsible for the design and project management of the Habit'âge homes in all their aspects: social and local, architectural and financial.

This process is supported by a local steering committee actively involved at every stage, broad community involvement and trusted partnerships.

Key results and benefits

In practical terms, Habit’âge involves:

• The creation of three homes recognised as inclusive housing
• The restoration of three historic buildings in the heart of the village
• The raising of nearly 3 million euros (from over 30 funders)
• 14 people to be housed in the long term
• More than 50 local residents involved in the Habit’âge housing projects
• 1,000 people supported through 60 preventative initiatives in Maine-et-Loire 
• including more than 500 in the workshops entitled ‘Ageing gracefully and planning for your future home’

Potential for mainstreaming

The numerous requests to share our experience, combined with our desire to see such initiatives grow and flourish, have led us to devise two programmes focused on ‘homes’ and ‘prevention’ for the period 2022 to 2025.

We have already supported 30 people across nine regions of France.

 

In 2026:

Building on three years of knowledge-sharing, the Habit’âge association decided in 2026 to strengthen its prevention-focused outreach by working with its already-trained facilitators and partners to create a national network, with the aim of enhancing support for older people as they engage in self-reflection.

At the same time, Habit’âge joins and cooperates with several networks within the social and solidarity economy: the local Iresa network, the national HAPI association, the Gérontopôle des Pays de la Loire, and also the HAPA network (Shared and Supported Housing Network), of which Vanessa Couvreux Chapeau is co-chair.

 

Habit'âge is a laureate of the 2018–2019 cohort of the P'INS scale-up support programme, jointly run by Fondation Macif and Avise.