Where "miracle" happens. Senior camps, doing age and implications for older people's health and quality of life

Abstract

Summer camps for older people - senior camps - has in various forms been established around Sweden, not least since the early 2000s. They are usually arranged in a natural setting that will allow staying outdoors and the days alternate between planned group activities and free time. Recurrent is the positive effect senior camps are described to have on the participants' health, wellbeing and quality of life. The stay at a senior camp is said to break a socially exclusive everyday life and lead to new habits and long-term friendships. Summer camps are usually associated with children and childhood, where urban children are given an opportunity to get out of the country and play, swim and breathe fresh air. In this report it is discussed how these associations affect how senior camps are organized and experienced?