A major theme in public policy relating to older people has been that of “ageing in place”, supporting people to remain in their own homes and neighbourhoods for as long as they wish. But with this approach has come critical questions about the quality of the physical and social environment and the strength of networks within communities. Such issues have led researchers into developing new concepts for understanding relationships within neighbourhoods as well involving older people themselves directly in research programmes. An important strand has been recognising the role of “social infrastructure” in providing an essential framework for encouraging greater attention be paid to the various infrastructures that support participation and connection within communities. Alongside this has come an understanding that insights into improving the capacity of communities will only come from applying methods which reach out to older people themselves: hence, the application of co-production and participatory approaches explored in papers in this special issue.The paper by Yarker et al. summarises the background to the concept of social infrastructure, defined as the physical places and organisations that can help shape social interaction. They look at how applying this term can provide an understanding of the everyday places which can encourage participation within communities and the various forms of sociality that can support ageing in place. At the same time, the authors demonstrate the extent to which social exclusion and inequality may limit access to vital social infrastructure, drawing on examples from the LGTB+ community, and the impact of racism in relation to engagement with health and social care and related services.The theme of participation is also a key focus of the paper from Goff et al. which examines an attempt to develop the Village model in two low-income areas in Manchester, UK. Villages first emerged in the USA and involve older people coming together in a community to collectively organise a variety of services which can assist their ageing in place. In the US case, Villages are typically linked with more affluent communities and are supported with relatively high levels of volunteering. Goff et al. explore the challenges involved in implementing this approach in a context where potential members may have limited financial and health resources. The authors outline the development of a “hybrid” model of volunteering which recognised the position of participants as both volunteers but also requiring support as users of services.Górska et al. examine influences on the resilience of older adults in the context of promoting improved outcomes in hospital discharge and strengthening community connections. The researchers used Participatory Action Methodology, working with older people together with a range of community stakeholders including informal carers. They conceptualise resilience as a process shaped by the interplay between individual characteristics and environmental contexts. Their findings emphasise the importance of environmental determinants of resilience, including social connections, access to meaningful activities and person-centred conversations and support. Their study calls for the implementation of what they term “relational service models”, whereby practitioners form meaningful relationships with individuals, recognising their unique strengths and priorities. Such an approach can be seen as reflective of approaches to work with older people, which are grounded in co-production and participatory methodologies.Kavenagh et al. examine the challenges of developing community-based work in the context of spatial inequalities faced by older people, notably those living in areas characterised by multiple deprivation. They explore this theme in relation to an attempt to develop a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, in a tower block with a majority of older residents, located in inner city Manchester, UK. They used the participatory action approach to examine responses by residents within the community, notably to the loss of crucial social infrastructure, and new developments associated with the growth of student housing. The authors describe, on the one hand, the resistance mounted to these changes, but on the other hand, the vision shared by residents to develop a community space supportive of their own interests and needs. The paper highlights the pressures residents faced in fighting for change and the importance of recognising activism as a key component in the struggle of spatial justice within urban environments.A consistent theme in the research literature concerns how older people are affected by various forms of age-based discrimination. Jayasinha and Wiles examine this theme in the context of viewing social media as a form of social infrastructure with the potential to highlight the various contributions which older people make to society. They argue that social infrastructure can be viewed both in conventional terms in relation to, for example, physical sites and “third spaces”, and through the role of social media in connecting people and contributing to collective identities and cultures. Their research examines the extent to which media, in its role as social infrastructure, includes or excludes portrayals of older people as significant participants within their communities. The authors used qualitative discourse analysis to study representations of older people and their contributions examining national, regional and local/community print-news media in Aotearoa, New Zealand. An important finding was that the dominant narrative overwhelmingly conflated ageing with passivity, dependence and vulnerability, particularly around health. A further concern was the limited attention to the diversity of older people and the minimal coverage of their role in highlighting structural concerns such as housing insecurity, poverty and climate change.The papers in this special issue also provide important contributions to the debate around what counts as “social infrastructure” and its contribution to improving the everyday lives of older people. Sheriff and Cookson pick up this theme in addressing questions of mobility and travel in urban areas. These issues raise particularly concerns for those affected by health conditions relating to a disability of some kind. In response, the authors treat the issue of transport itself as representing a form of social infrastructure, one which can foster sociability and connections of various kinds. They undertook a case study in an area of Greater Manchester, UK, involving mapping workshops and walking interviews with a sample of older people. The findings from the research demonstrate both the barriers which people encounter in travelling and in physical space, but, more positively, the potential gain in thinking about roads, streets, public transport, etc. as significant elements of social infrastructure. The paper also brings to the debate a more nuanced account of what makes an area “walkable”, pointing to the importance of tackling both the physical barriers, making environments themselves more attractive and improving the possibility of different kinds of social interaction.Much of the work on social infrastructure has tended to highlight places such as cafés, libraries and community centres. However, another approach is to consider the practices of people active in different types of settings – whether as volunteers, carers, administrators or older adults themselves. This issue is tackled by Smele and her colleagues who use a feminist political economy perspective, exploring pressures facing older English-speaking adults living in Québec, Canada. The focus of their research was on the Québec Government’s concept of “good treatment”, a policy designed to promote respect and individual rights, one emphasising that individuals, organisations and communities should place the well-being of people at the heart of their concerns. Their research examined the implementation of these values through the organisation of four World Cafés involving older people and qualitative interviews with workers, based around people participating in Senior Wellness Initiative programmes. Key findings concerned the extent to which all groups underlined the importance of values relating to inter-personal recognition, empathy and respecting people’s opinions. Equally significant was the extent to which this type of community programme can provide a safe space for those who may have been subject to racism or abuse. But crucial as well as the extent to which workers applied the “good treatment” concept by advocating for people requiring assistance, often in relation to accessing public services of various kinds. Finally, an important conclusion from the authors was that implementation of the ideals behind “good treatment” necessitate challenging a neo-liberal environment of austerity and cuts to social programmes. Confronting this ideology will be essential for the realisation of effective public policies to support marginalised older adults.Finally, all of the papers reflect concern about the impact of social change on communities, how this is reflected in the loss of social infrastructure and the marginalisation of particular groups of older people. Phillipson addresses these issues through examining the history of neighbourhood regeneration in the UK and its impact on older people, especially those living in areas of multiple deprivation. Despite numerous initiatives – since the 1960s – focused on improving the physical and social environment of low-income areas, positive effects are hard to demonstrate – not least in relation to older people. Improving the quality of neighbourhoods remains, however, an important goal of public policy with major government programmes announced during 2024/2025. The paper assesses the current state of neighbourhood policy in the UK, outlining the basis for a new strategy for improving neighbourhood policy in relation to older people. This would include updating the framework provided by Sure Start for Later Life; improvements in social infrastructure within communities; and developing new forms of neighbourhood control which can ensure that residents are given equal status in the management of neighbourhood projects.At a time when communities can feel increasingly fragmented, understanding the infrastructures by which people connect and provide support becomes even more crucial. These papers offer important and timely insights into processes of inclusion and exclusion operating within communities and the role of researchers, working with older people themselves, in generating new approaches to policy and practice. They especially highlight the importance of understanding developing and maintaining physical and social connections within communities in achieving the policy objective of ageing in place.
Yarker et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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