New collection of the GERDA home visits-data launched in Västerbotten, Sweden
30.05.2025
Individuals aged 85, 90, and 95 and older living in Umeå will be invited to take part in the GERDA home visits. Later, residents in the same age groups from Malå, Sorsele, Dorotea, Vilhelmina, and Storuman will also receive invitations. Similar data collection efforts will take place on the Åland Islands and in Ostrobothnia, Finland.
These home visits have been carried out every five years in Västerbotten since 2000, with the exception of the years affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This long-term effort gives us a unique opportunity to study the health and living conditions of older adults over a 25-year period.
With this round of data collection, we aim to deepen our understanding of what supports aging well. During the home visit, a research assistant will ask questions about topics such as health and quality of life. We also perform various tests and assessments, including measuring blood pressure and gait speed.
The regional newspaper Västerbottens-Kuriren recently published an article about the GERDA home visits: https://www.vk.se/2025-05-18/forskare-knackar-pa-hos-umeas-aldre-e3df5
For questions concerning the data collection, please contact Birgitta Olofsson: e-mail birgitta.olofsson@umu.se, phone number +46 90 786 63 33
