Co-developing program theories for best fit social innovations in long-term care:lessons from a cross European implementation project

Context: The need for socially innovative care models is crucial in addressing the challenges posed by ageing populations. Social innovations developed in other settings often require adaptation to ensure they are the best fit for a new setting. Perspective: We propose that participatory Theory of Change workshops can strengthen the development and adaptation of best-fit social innovations in long-term care by engaging multiple stakeholders to develop a program theory which describes how a complex programme or policy is hypothesised to work in a given context. We use an example from InCARE, a European Union funded project from 2020 to 2023, which aimed to develop and use participatory processes to design and implement social innovations for long-term care in Spain, Austria and North Macedonia. Implications: Theory of Change can work to develop a common vision with stakeholders, identify and adapt innovative ideas, engage early and meaningfully with stakeholders and partner with stakeholders who can support sustainability as well as outline the challenges and limitations inherent in the Theory of Change approach.