How is Respect and Social Inclusion Conceptualised by Older Adults in an Aspiring Age-Friendly City? A Photovoice Study in the North-West of England.

Lois Orton,Daniel Pope,Sara Ronzi,Nigel Bruce,Stefanie Buckner

doi:10.3390/ijerph17249246

Abstract

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Age-Friendly Cities (AFC) Guide classifies key characteristics of an AFC according to eight domains. Whilst much age-friendly practice and research have focused on domains of the physical environment, those related to the social environment have received less attention. Using a Photovoice methodology within a Community-Based Participatory Research approach, our study draws on photographs, interviews and focus groups among 26 older Liverpool residents (60+ years) to explore how the city promotes respect and social inclusion (a core WHO AFC domain). Being involved in this photovoice study allowed older adults across four contrasting neighbourhoods to communicate their perspectives directly to Liverpool’s policymakers, service providers and third sector organisations. This paper provides novel insights into how: (i) respect and social inclusion are shaped by aspects of both physical and social environment, and (ii) the accessibility, affordability and sociability of physical spaces and wider social processes (e.g., neighbourhood fragmentation) contributed to or hindered participants’ health, wellbeing, intergenerational relationships and feelings of inclusion and connection. Our findings suggest that respect and social inclusion are relevant across all eight domains of the WHO AFC Guide. It is core to an AFC and should be reflected in both city-based policies and evaluations.

Highlights

IntroductionInvolving older adults in creating social and physical environments that better support healthy ageing is important for public health policy [2]
This study provides novel insights into how respect and social inclusion are shaped by aspects of the physical and social environment, and the role that accessibility, affordability and sociability of physical spaces had on older adults’ wellbeing, feelings of inclusion, sense of independence and connection
This study has provided novel insights into how respect and social inclusion are shaped by aspects of the physical and social environment, and the role that accessibility, affordability and sociability of physical spaces contributed to older adults’ mental wellbeing, feelings of inclusion, sense of independence and connection

Summary

Introduction

Involving older adults in creating social and physical environments that better support healthy ageing is important for public health policy [2]. The past fifteen years have seen a proliferation of efforts across the world to create environments that are ‘age-friendly’ (see References [2,3,4,5]). Many of these endeavours have concentrated on urban environments, a parallel focus on ageing in rural settings has emerged [6,7,8,9].

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Discussion

Conclusion