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Maintaining physical, psychological and social wellbeing is integral to older adults being able to age well in their community. Therefore, an environment that facilitates and supports ageing well is imperative. The aim of this study was to explore the views of older people about their preparation for ageing well in a rural community. Forty-nine community-dwelling older people aged between 65 and 93 years participated in a semi-structured and digitally recorded interview. The resulting qualitative data were analysed using a thematic approach. Three main themes were identified: (a) ‘sensible planning: the right place and the right people’; (b) ‘remaining independent: “it's up to me”’; and (c) ‘facing challenges: “accepting my lot”’. Findings from this study identify that across all age groups, these older people were actively and realistically preparing for ageing well. All valued their independence, believing individually they …