LAUSR

The population in the Netherlands and in the municipality of Oss is getting older in good health and wellbeing, living more independently and self-reliant with changing needs of support (Hilderink, 2018). However, offered support by health care and wellbeing professionals has not changed. Since it is unknown whether offered support matches the changed needs, the municipality of Oss wanted to know what elderly perceive supporting them in self-reliant life so they could be empowered by more effective supported and more efficient use of staff and finances. Results might have implications for more municipalities with an aging population. 41 Elderly (age 65-92 y) in Oss were invited to enjoy a meal prepared by their grandchildren at their school and attend a Structured Interview Matrix-session (O’Sullivan et al., 2013) at the same time to map their perceived needs for an self-reliant life. Collected voice recorded data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Results show that elderly prefer living independently, self-reliant and being self-supporting as long as possible first in physical mobility (walking, biking, driving a car), second in socially with respectively their children, friends and neighbors and third in financially independency. When inevitably getting dependent, they prefer help from children, friends and neighbors for practical daily living activities (e.g. cleaning, gardening, groceries). However, concerning medical care they prefer health and wellbeing professionals with general practitioner and municipality as gateway. Elderly want to be self-reliant as long as possible, living in their own house and neighborhood. When getting dependent, they prefer friends and neighbors for assistance in daily living and support from health and wellbeing professionals only for medical assistance with a key role for the municipality and general practitioner. Elderly prefer living a self-reliant life as long as possible in their own house and neighborhood. Municipal health services are perceived to play a key role in supplying adequate support from Health and wellbeing professionals.