Today we are facing a new phenomenon that influences our economy and society. New distribution models of goods and services that focus mainly on “sharing”, and community-based initiatives are more and more important. Such models de-emphasise ownership, while promoting temporary use of goods and this subsequent paradigm shift stimulates overall citizen engagement from local community to pan-European scales (Mori, 2014).

One example of such thinking is the concept of cooperatives, which have received much attention in recent years. Cooperatives are autonomous associations of persons who voluntarily cooperate for their mutual social, economic, and cultural benefit. They include non-profit community organizations and businesses that are owned and managed by the people who use its services (a consumer cooperative) or by the people who work there (a worker cooperative) or by the people who live there (housing cooperative). They bring together civil society and local actors to deliver community needs. Cooperatives are typically based on the cooperative values of “self-help, self-responsibility, democracy and equality, equity and solidarity” and the following principles (International Co-operative Alliance, sd):

• Voluntary and open membership?
• Democratic member control?
• Economic participation by members
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• Autonomy and independence?
• Education, training and information
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• Inter-cooperative cooperation?
• Concern for community

Cooperatives are dedicated to the values of openness, social responsibility and caring for others. Economic benefits are distributed proportionally to each member's level of participation in the cooperative, for instance, by a dividend on sales or purchases, rather than according to capital invested. Such legal entities are distinguished from other forms of incorporation in that profit-making or economic stability are balanced by the interests of the community. Cooperatives can be found in different thematic fields, mainly in the food sector, health, housing, utilities, etc.

The cooperative movement has a unique opportunity to play a leading role in addressing the effects of demographic change and elderly care, an issue that is of mounting concern to a huge number of Europeans. Over the next 40 years the proportion of the population over the age of 65 in the European Union will almost double, rising from 17% in 2005 to 30% in 2050 (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working, 2009). Due to this inevitable demographic development, dignified ageing and caregiving is becoming an ever more relevant topic in the long-term future with regard to its social and economic implications as European healthcare systems are facing challenges of sustainability and increasing resource scarcity (McLean, Protti, & Sheikh, 2011) (OECD, 2011).

In communities across Europe individuals and organizations from all walks of life and from every political persuasion are creating viable, innovative solutions to the needs of elderly. While the development and market penetration of novel Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) products is steadily proceeding, seemingly much less attention has been given to distributing such technologies, and inventing and supporting future models of organizing elderly care in a more efficient way. This is a pressing need, as demand for home care goods and services are experiencing enormous growth (Wichert, Furfari, Kung, & Tazari, 2012) (Brem, Fritsch, Steinke, & Kressenfischer, 2013) (Blobel, June).