An-Sofie Smetcoren
Biographic Data
| ID | 197957 |
|---|---|
| NAME | An-Sofie Smetcoren |
| GIVEN NAMES | An-Sofie |
| FAMILY NAME | Smetcoren |
| SIGNATURE | SMETCOREN A |
| AFFILIATIONS | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4581-4898 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 26 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 46 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 26 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2016 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Wellbeing and aging in person-home-assemblages
Quartier d’entraide à Bruxelles. Construire des liens entre utilisateurs
Dans le cadre des politiques bruxelloises et flamandes, le quartier d’entraide constitue un modèle émergent d’approche intégrée et de proximité des soins et du bien-être. Dans la pratique, les initiatives regroupées sous le générique de « quartiers d’entraide » sont très diverses et généralement axées sur la création de liens entre voisins ou avec les services de soins professionnels actifs dans le quartier. Le projet MaN’Aige (Innoviris Co-Creat…
Caring neighbourhood in Brussels. Creating connections among users
Dans le cadre des politiques bruxelloises et flamandes, le quartier d’entraide constitue un modèle émergent d’approche intégrée et de proximité des soins et du bien-être. Dans la pratique, les initiatives regroupées sous le générique de « quartiers d’entraide » sont très diverses et généralement axées sur la création de liens entre voisins ou avec les services de soins professionnels actifs dans le quartier. Le projet MaN’Aige (Innoviris Co-Creat…
Zorgzame buurt in Brussel. Verbindingen opbouwen tussen buurtgebruikers
Dans le cadre des politiques bruxelloises et flamandes, le quartier d’entraide constitue un modèle émergent d’approche intégrée et de proximité des soins et du bien-être. Dans la pratique, les initiatives regroupées sous le générique de « quartiers d’entraide » sont très diverses et généralement axées sur la création de liens entre voisins ou avec les services de soins professionnels actifs dans le quartier. Le projet MaN’Aige (Innoviris Co-Creat…
Capturing the most significant change after a work-training program for community health workers
The (Im)Material Home
Live-in care workers for older persons
This article explores how live-in migrant care workers for older persons in Belgium navigate the challenges of transnational migration. Based on 15 interviews, four key aspects are discussed: distant parenting, achieving recognition, securing social support and coping with precarious conditions. Driven by supporting their families, these workers face emotional and physical challenges and have limited bargaining power. However, the value they see …
Care and Living in Community
Residential Normalcy in Later Life
Housing preferences and well-being in later life are shaped by accumulated life experiences, yet the mechanisms underlying these connections remain insufficiently understood. This study applies the theoretical model of residential normalcy to explore how life course dynamics contribute to residential comfort and mastery in later life. Results from life story interviews with 30 adults aged 60+ indicate that several domains of housing characteristi…
Preventive Home Visits Among Frail Community-Dwelling Older Adults. The Added Value of Follow-Up Telephone Calls
People in need of care and support do not always find appropriate services. This paper aims to explore the content and added value of monthly follow-up telephone calls after preventive home visits. We used both monitoring data and qualitative semi-structured interviews (with older adults, formal and informal caregivers). Results indicate that a majority of older adults (N = 95) received a regular follow-up of four telephone calls. Social connecti…
How ‘co’ can you go? A qualitative inquiry on the key principles of co-creative research and their enactment in real-life practices
This paper aims to gain a better understanding of co-creative research key principles and their enactment in real-life practices. The study is based on interviews and a focus group with academic researchers and professionals (n = 16) involved in eight co-creative research projects funded by the Brussels Regional Institute for Research and Innovation (Innoviris). The study demonstrates the tension between respondents' understanding of the key prin…
Helping Behavior of Older Adults during the Early Covid-19 Lockdown in Belgium
This study aimed to understand whether older adults not only received but also provided help during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Belgium, which factors motivated them to help, and whether older adults differed from younger age groups in terms of helping behavior and motives. Bivariate analyses were performed using data generated from an online cross-sectional survey in Belgium ( N = 1892). The results showed that older adults who received help …
I was Basically Deaf-Mute. I felt like a Stranger”
The Happy Home
(1) Background: With an increasingly diversifying ageing population, it is important to understand what 'ageing well' means to older adults with a migration background. Given older adults' preference to age in place and declining mobility, housing is a significant place in later life. Therefore, this paper explores the influence of housing, migration, and age on older migrants' subjective wellbeing, with attention to immaterial aspects such as a …
Hiring Live-in Migrant Care Workers
Community health workers and culturally competent home care in Belgium
This qualitative study investigates through a realist evaluation how the work training programme of 10 community health workers (CHWs) contributed to culturally competent home care services. A European Social Fund project trained 10 jobseekers with migration backgrounds to become CHWs in Brussels (Belgium). Three research questions were formulated: (a) What increase in the cultural competence of the home care organisations can be identified at th…
Exploring underexposed stories
To gain insights into vulnerable lifecourses and give a voice to those often underrepresented in quantitative research, this study examines the life stories (past, present and future) of 19 financially excluded older adults using an adapted version of McAdams’ life-story interview scheme. Although these life stories demonstrate an accumulation of many disadvantages and an uncertain future because of current financial situations, the stories also …
Meanings of Care Convoys
Researchers propose that the convoy of care model should be used to study care networks of frail, older individuals. Care convoys are defined as the evolving collection of individuals who may or may not have close personal connections to the recipient or to one another, but who provide care, including help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), socio-emotional care, skilled health care, monitor…
Social Participation in the Daily Lives of Frail Older Adults
Findings advance our knowledge and recognition of the different ways frail older adults participate in society. Despite their frailty, older adults wish to stay socially active. Focusing on the social environment in the frameworks and policies of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities will benefit these individuals
Critical reflections on the blind sides of frailty in later life
Detecting frail, older adults and identifying their strengths
The findings indicate that frailty among older individuals can be considered as a dynamic state and, regardless of frailty, balancing factors are important in maintaining a good QoL. The study investigated not only the deficits, but also the abilities, and resources of frail, older adults. Public policymakers and healthcare organizations are encouraged to include these abilities, supplementary or even complementary to the usual focus on deficits
Relational aspects of mastery for frail, older adults
Frail, older care recipients are often thought of as individuals with a decreased mastery of everyday life skills. Various authors have proposed to acknowledge a relational dimension of mastery, defined as the ability to maintain control over one's life with the help of others. This study explores how frail, older adults experience relational aspects of mastery and the role of their informal caregivers in maintaining these aspects of mastery over…
From Active Aging to Active Citizenship
The concept of 'Active Aging' emerged in the 1990s, reflecting a growing emphasis on the relationships between health, participation, aging, and independence. The concept focuses on encouraging the participation of older adults in society and it recognizes the competence and knowledge that older people possess. The Active Aging discourse developed as a broad political response to demographic aging, one which promotes a cultural shift in what 'old…
Accumulation of Disadvantages
Refining the push and pull framework
Older people consider moving home when there is a discrepancy between actual and desired living conditions. This study builds on the classic push and pull framework described in the early work of Lee and Wiseman by identifying whether or not individual differences among older people can be predictive for certain push and pull reasons (such as housing, health, neighbourhood and social contact). On the basis of data from the Belgian Ageing Studies …
Accumulation of Disadvantages
From Active Aging to Active Citizenship
The concept of 'Active Aging' emerged in the 1990s, reflecting a growing emphasis on the relationships between health, participation, aging, and independence. The concept focuses on encouraging the participation of older adults in society and it recognizes the competence and knowledge that older people possess. The Active Aging discourse developed as a broad political response to demographic aging, one which promotes a cultural shift in what 'old…
Meanings of Care Convoys
Researchers propose that the convoy of care model should be used to study care networks of frail, older individuals. Care convoys are defined as the evolving collection of individuals who may or may not have close personal connections to the recipient or to one another, but who provide care, including help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), socio-emotional care, skilled health care, monitor…
Social Participation in the Daily Lives of Frail Older Adults
Findings advance our knowledge and recognition of the different ways frail older adults participate in society. Despite their frailty, older adults wish to stay socially active. Focusing on the social environment in the frameworks and policies of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities will benefit these individuals
Refining the push and pull framework
Older people consider moving home when there is a discrepancy between actual and desired living conditions. This study builds on the classic push and pull framework described in the early work of Lee and Wiseman by identifying whether or not individual differences among older people can be predictive for certain push and pull reasons (such as housing, health, neighbourhood and social contact). On the basis of data from the Belgian Ageing Studies …
Critical reflections on the blind sides of frailty in later life
Relational aspects of mastery for frail, older adults
Frail, older care recipients are often thought of as individuals with a decreased mastery of everyday life skills. Various authors have proposed to acknowledge a relational dimension of mastery, defined as the ability to maintain control over one's life with the help of others. This study explores how frail, older adults experience relational aspects of mastery and the role of their informal caregivers in maintaining these aspects of mastery over…
I was Basically Deaf-Mute. I felt like a Stranger”
Hiring Live-in Migrant Care Workers
Exploring underexposed stories
To gain insights into vulnerable lifecourses and give a voice to those often underrepresented in quantitative research, this study examines the life stories (past, present and future) of 19 financially excluded older adults using an adapted version of McAdams’ life-story interview scheme. Although these life stories demonstrate an accumulation of many disadvantages and an uncertain future because of current financial situations, the stories also …
Social Exclusion in Later Life
Refining the push and pull framework
Older people consider moving home when there is a discrepancy between actual and desired living conditions. This study builds on the classic push and pull framework described in the early work of Lee and Wiseman by identifying whether or not individual differences among older people can be predictive for certain push and pull reasons (such as housing, health, neighbourhood and social contact). On the basis of data from the Belgian Ageing Studies …
Detecting frail, older adults and identifying their strengths
The findings indicate that frailty among older individuals can be considered as a dynamic state and, regardless of frailty, balancing factors are important in maintaining a good QoL. The study investigated not only the deficits, but also the abilities, and resources of frail, older adults. Public policymakers and healthcare organizations are encouraged to include these abilities, supplementary or even complementary to the usual focus on deficits
Relational aspects of mastery for frail, older adults
Frail, older care recipients are often thought of as individuals with a decreased mastery of everyday life skills. Various authors have proposed to acknowledge a relational dimension of mastery, defined as the ability to maintain control over one's life with the help of others. This study explores how frail, older adults experience relational aspects of mastery and the role of their informal caregivers in maintaining these aspects of mastery over…
From Active Aging to Active Citizenship
The concept of 'Active Aging' emerged in the 1990s, reflecting a growing emphasis on the relationships between health, participation, aging, and independence. The concept focuses on encouraging the participation of older adults in society and it recognizes the competence and knowledge that older people possess. The Active Aging discourse developed as a broad political response to demographic aging, one which promotes a cultural shift in what 'old…
Accumulation of Disadvantages
Social Participation in the Daily Lives of Frail Older Adults
Findings advance our knowledge and recognition of the different ways frail older adults participate in society. Despite their frailty, older adults wish to stay socially active. Focusing on the social environment in the frameworks and policies of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities will benefit these individuals
Critical reflections on the blind sides of frailty in later life
Meanings of Care Convoys
Researchers propose that the convoy of care model should be used to study care networks of frail, older individuals. Care convoys are defined as the evolving collection of individuals who may or may not have close personal connections to the recipient or to one another, but who provide care, including help with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), socio-emotional care, skilled health care, monitor…
Hiring Live-in Migrant Care Workers
Community health workers and culturally competent home care in Belgium
This qualitative study investigates through a realist evaluation how the work training programme of 10 community health workers (CHWs) contributed to culturally competent home care services. A European Social Fund project trained 10 jobseekers with migration backgrounds to become CHWs in Brussels (Belgium). Three research questions were formulated: (a) What increase in the cultural competence of the home care organisations can be identified at th…
Exploring underexposed stories
To gain insights into vulnerable lifecourses and give a voice to those often underrepresented in quantitative research, this study examines the life stories (past, present and future) of 19 financially excluded older adults using an adapted version of McAdams’ life-story interview scheme. Although these life stories demonstrate an accumulation of many disadvantages and an uncertain future because of current financial situations, the stories also …
The Happy Home
(1) Background: With an increasingly diversifying ageing population, it is important to understand what 'ageing well' means to older adults with a migration background. Given older adults' preference to age in place and declining mobility, housing is a significant place in later life. Therefore, this paper explores the influence of housing, migration, and age on older migrants' subjective wellbeing, with attention to immaterial aspects such as a …
Helping Behavior of Older Adults during the Early Covid-19 Lockdown in Belgium
This study aimed to understand whether older adults not only received but also provided help during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Belgium, which factors motivated them to help, and whether older adults differed from younger age groups in terms of helping behavior and motives. Bivariate analyses were performed using data generated from an online cross-sectional survey in Belgium ( N = 1892). The results showed that older adults who received help …
I was Basically Deaf-Mute. I felt like a Stranger”
Preventive Home Visits Among Frail Community-Dwelling Older Adults. The Added Value of Follow-Up Telephone Calls
People in need of care and support do not always find appropriate services. This paper aims to explore the content and added value of monthly follow-up telephone calls after preventive home visits. We used both monitoring data and qualitative semi-structured interviews (with older adults, formal and informal caregivers). Results indicate that a majority of older adults (N = 95) received a regular follow-up of four telephone calls. Social connecti…
How ‘co’ can you go? A qualitative inquiry on the key principles of co-creative research and their enactment in real-life practices
This paper aims to gain a better understanding of co-creative research key principles and their enactment in real-life practices. The study is based on interviews and a focus group with academic researchers and professionals (n = 16) involved in eight co-creative research projects funded by the Brussels Regional Institute for Research and Innovation (Innoviris). The study demonstrates the tension between respondents' understanding of the key prin…
Quartier d’entraide à Bruxelles. Construire des liens entre utilisateurs
Dans le cadre des politiques bruxelloises et flamandes, le quartier d’entraide constitue un modèle émergent d’approche intégrée et de proximité des soins et du bien-être. Dans la pratique, les initiatives regroupées sous le générique de « quartiers d’entraide » sont très diverses et généralement axées sur la création de liens entre voisins ou avec les services de soins professionnels actifs dans le quartier. Le projet MaN’Aige (Innoviris Co-Creat…
Caring neighbourhood in Brussels. Creating connections among users
Dans le cadre des politiques bruxelloises et flamandes, le quartier d’entraide constitue un modèle émergent d’approche intégrée et de proximité des soins et du bien-être. Dans la pratique, les initiatives regroupées sous le générique de « quartiers d’entraide » sont très diverses et généralement axées sur la création de liens entre voisins ou avec les services de soins professionnels actifs dans le quartier. Le projet MaN’Aige (Innoviris Co-Creat…
Zorgzame buurt in Brussel. Verbindingen opbouwen tussen buurtgebruikers
Dans le cadre des politiques bruxelloises et flamandes, le quartier d’entraide constitue un modèle émergent d’approche intégrée et de proximité des soins et du bien-être. Dans la pratique, les initiatives regroupées sous le générique de « quartiers d’entraide » sont très diverses et généralement axées sur la création de liens entre voisins ou avec les services de soins professionnels actifs dans le quartier. Le projet MaN’Aige (Innoviris Co-Creat…
Capturing the most significant change after a work-training program for community health workers
The (Im)Material Home
Live-in care workers for older persons
This article explores how live-in migrant care workers for older persons in Belgium navigate the challenges of transnational migration. Based on 15 interviews, four key aspects are discussed: distant parenting, achieving recognition, securing social support and coping with precarious conditions. Driven by supporting their families, these workers face emotional and physical challenges and have limited bargaining power. However, the value they see …
Care and Living in Community
Residential Normalcy in Later Life
Housing preferences and well-being in later life are shaped by accumulated life experiences, yet the mechanisms underlying these connections remain insufficiently understood. This study applies the theoretical model of residential normalcy to explore how life course dynamics contribute to residential comfort and mastery in later life. Results from life story interviews with 30 adults aged 60+ indicate that several domains of housing characteristi…
Psychology (19 works) · Medicine (18 works) · Gerontology (15 works) · Sociology (14 works) · Migration, Aging, and Tourism Studies (10 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (7 works) · Nursing (7 works) · Qualitative research (7 works) · Political science (6 works) · Social Psychology (6 works)