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The Role of Hospitality in Ageing and Longevity: A New...
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The Role of Hospitality in Ageing and Longevity: A New Frontier for Ageing in Place and Senior Living

A special issue of Journal of Ageing and Longevity (ISSN 2673-9259).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 4635

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Thorsten Merkle

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life Sciences and Facility Management, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland
Interests: hospitality; senior living; food service; entrepreneurship; sustainability, tourism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will comprise selected papers that explore the role of hospitality in longevity and ageing, with the aim of closing the gap existing between these two worlds. The objective of this Special Issue is to examine and critically engage with hospitality theories and practices in order to explore how they can contribute to improving longevity and ageing, with the goal of promoting ageing in place and a better quality of life in senior facilities. This Special Issue welcomes papers both of a qualitative and quantitative nature that investigate innovative and creative ways to support ageing through hospitality-related opportunities.

On a global scale, an increasing number of governments and organizations are recognizing the need for hospitality in longevity and ageing, and, as such, are searching for possible solutions that could help them successfully manage longevity and ageing. Hospitality can play a crucial role in allowing people to age with a focus on improving health and wellbeing and providing dignity and enjoyment.

For many years, theories and practices of hospitality have been neglected in the context of caring for elderly people. As such, the time has come to explore the possible connections that exist between these two worlds, in order to create and deliver user-centered experiences to both clients and residents. We anticipate future experiences that reach above and beyond “just” meeting the needs of clients and residents, seeking those that allow for more individualized approaches instead.

We invite interested scholars from the fields of Hospitality, Tourism and Service management to contribute to this discussion, which will be essential in the improvement of the future as relates to the lives of countless numbers of people.

The papers selected for this Special Issue will be subject to a rigorous peer review procedure, with the aim of achieving a rapid and wide dissemination of research results, developments, and applications.

Prof. Dr. Thorsten Merkle
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Ageing and Longevity is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hospitality
  • ageing
  • longevity
  • ageing in place
  • senior living
  • people-centred approach
  • ageing-friendly
  • dementia-friendly
  • silver economy

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 799 KB  
Article
What Is Successful Aging? From Seniors’ Needs for a Happy and Meaningful Life to Moving into a Senior Living Community
by Zihui Ma and Hyun Jeong Kim
J. Ageing Longev. 2025, 5(4), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/jal5040039 - 2 Oct 2025
Viewed by 211
Abstract
This study investigates the decision-making process behind moving into a senior living community. Prospective residents were asked to identify the most important qualities of a happy, healthy, and engaged life, so called successful aging. Our effort resulted in a scale with 27 [...] Read more.
This study investigates the decision-making process behind moving into a senior living community. Prospective residents were asked to identify the most important qualities of a happy, healthy, and engaged life, so called successful aging. Our effort resulted in a scale with 27 items reflecting seniors’ needs for successful aging. Building upon the Andersen’s model to predict the medical service utilization, this study developed the Needs of Successful Aging-Enabling-Psychosocial (N-SEP) model. The results showed the needs for successful aging have a positive effect on prospective residents’ attitudes and subjective norms, which in turn affect seniors’ decision to move. In addition, enabling factors were found to increase the perceived control, leading to a decision to move. This study benefits both senior living practitioners and academics who are interested in studying this fast-growing field in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Hospitality in Ageing and Longevity: A New Frontier for Ageing in Place and Senior Living)
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23 pages, 1284 KB  
Article
Unveiling the Relocation Journey: A Qualitative Study of Key Factors Influencing Older Adults’ Decisions to Relocate to Senior Living Communities
by Suja Chaulagain
J. Ageing Longev. 2025, 5(2), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/jal5020013 - 8 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2599
Abstract
This study aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the decision-making process among older adults regarding leaving their homes and relocating to senior living communities (SLCs) in the United States. Specifically, it explored various aspects of the relocation experience, including the reasons behind [...] Read more.
This study aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the decision-making process among older adults regarding leaving their homes and relocating to senior living communities (SLCs) in the United States. Specifically, it explored various aspects of the relocation experience, including the reasons behind their decision to relocate, the factors influencing their choice of destination, and the challenges encountered during the decision-making process. The study’s data were collected from 44 older adults residing in SLCs through five in-depth, semi-structured focus group discussions. The study results revealed that older adults’ decisions to relocate to an SLC were influenced by health-related factors, housing- and property-related factors, family dynamics, and socio-psychological factors. Older adults evaluated environmental and locational factors, facility attractions and amenities, and opportunities for socialization when selecting an SLC for relocation. Additionally, the study identified several barriers faced by older adults, including family-related barriers, economic constraints, socio-psychological barriers, and barriers related to knowledge and information about SLCs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Hospitality in Ageing and Longevity: A New Frontier for Ageing in Place and Senior Living)
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Review

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17 pages, 282 KB  
Review
Understanding the Ageing Customer and Designing Services for Ageing in Place
by Vessela Warren and Richard Nicholls
J. Ageing Longev. 2025, 5(4), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/jal5040038 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 452
Abstract
Many developed countries are experiencing a marked rise in the ageing population, with a growing proportion of adults entering older age groups. Whilst the literature has focused on the design, management, and quality of services within senior living facilities, less attention has been [...] Read more.
Many developed countries are experiencing a marked rise in the ageing population, with a growing proportion of adults entering older age groups. Whilst the literature has focused on the design, management, and quality of services within senior living facilities, less attention has been paid to services for ageing in one’s home and community. This article seeks to add understanding of the needs of older customers and how services and service processes can be designed to support their independent living and ageing in place. These services can enable older customers who feel challenged by daily tasks to continue to live in the community as opposed to in senior facilities. However, the literature on the designing of services has failed to keep pace with the growing trend of older customers and there is currently a deficiency of literature focusing on services designed for ageing in place. Therefore, this article addresses this lacuna through a thematic review of the literature in the field of service design, gerontology, and hospitality. The article reconceptualises hospitality in both hospitality and non-hospitality services and offers a theoretical and practical perspective into service design through the hospitality and human-design lens to enable older customers to age in place. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Hospitality in Ageing and Longevity: A New Frontier for Ageing in Place and Senior Living)
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