The Ibasho Toolkit: A Toolkit for Strengthening Community-Driven Preparedness and Resilience

This toolkit describes the origin of IBASHO and introduces the core concepts of the approach using Ibasho project case studies from three countries. 

Older adults are increasingly being marginalized around the world even as their numbers are growing rapidly. Far too often, aging is viewed simply as a process of decline, the growth that accompanies aging invisible to society. As a result, elders are effectively cut off from the flow of daily life, their wisdom and perspectives lost to the children and younger adults in their communities.

The principle-based Ibasho approach was developed to challenge the prevalent, mostly negative perceptions about aging by empowering elders to co-create a physical place where they can contribute to community members of all ages. This toolkit describes the origin of IBASHO and introduces the core concepts of the approach using Ibasho project case studies from three countries. Its purpose is to provide local and national stakeholders and community elders with practical guidance, so they can use the Ibasho approach to achieve the long-term goals.