On 11 December 2025, as part of the Social Works! – Research and Innovation in Social Work series, Glenn Möllergren (PhD candidate, Lund University / Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu) delivered a research presentation focused on everyday agency among older adults living under contrasting welfare regimes.

The presentation offered a comparative perspective on home care provision in Sweden and Romania, highlighting the high accessibility and widespread use of formal home-care services in Sweden versus the limited availability of such services in Romania. Particular attention was paid to older adults living alone and belonging to relatively disadvantaged social groups in the Romanian context.

Drawing on qualitative interviews conducted in participants’ homes, the study illustrated how older people in Romania develop strategies of self-reliance, adaptation, and resilience in the absence of adequate institutional support, often continuing physical or agricultural work well into later life. These practices were contrasted with experiences in Sweden, where home care is more institutionalised and socially normalised.

The discussion foregrounded the often-invisible forms of agency exercised by older adults under conditions of structural scarcity and reflected on the implications for social policy, social work practice, and comparative welfare research. The presentation was followed by an engaged discussion with faculty members and students.