HABIT IMPACT Approach

How can we reconnect people who face barriers to meaningful activities with their local communities? HABIT develops an approach that brings professionals, people and local resources together to strengthen participation and social inclusion.

Research theme: Future-proof primary care

Field of interest: Health and Care

Duration: 1/10/2025 - 1/10/2028

Financing: Erasmus+

In short

HABIT is developing the IMPACT Approach: a framework for health and social care professionals supporting people, primarily those aged 55 and over, who experience reduced participation or barriers to engaging in meaningful activities. The research brings together professionals, students and people with lived experience from Belgium, Spain and Romania. By combining scientific evidence with practice-based knowledge, we develop a person-centred and community-based approach.

Need and relevance

When people participate less in activities that are meaningful to them, this can affect their connection with society and their wellbeing. At the same time, local activities, services and other community resources are not always naturally connected to health and social care. HABIT aims to help bridge this gap by supporting professionals in strengthening participation and social inclusion. The focus is not only on people’s care needs, but also on what matters to them and on the opportunities available in their local environment.

From approach to impact

We are developing the IMPACT Approach together with professionals, students and people with lived experience. The approach combines scientific evidence with practice-based knowledge and includes:

a new professional role: the Community Care Facilitator;
a participation pathway connecting a person’s meaningful activities with local community resources;
collaboration between health and social care professionals, students and local communities;
knowledge and practical resources to support person-centred and community-based care.

In this way, HABIT creates knowledge and develops a practical approach that strengthens participation, social inclusion and connections between people and their local communities. The approach is being developed with partners from Belgium, Spain and Romania, with a view to application across different European contexts.