Older adults’ understandings of social inclusion: Views from a healthy ageing community program

Michael Nycyk,Margaret Redsell

doi:10.36251/josi.86

Abstract

Keeping older adults over 65 years of age socially included is a challenge still being addressed. Older adults’ views of feeling socially included and avoiding social exclusion and isolation are individual. This ethnographic study examines the views participants have about feeling socially included in their community when attending a community healthy ageing program in Brisbane, Australia. Niche studies of social inclusion in particular settings are valuable as alternatives to large studies, because of the diversity they offer in finding out what older adults identify as making them feel socially included. Data was collected by participant observation and focus groups, with supporting member checks and brief follow-up interviews. The main finding was that the program encouraged program participants to view themselves as feeling socially mobile, mainly because of access to information resources and to the human networks the program offered. Five concerns dominated the analysis where participants felt exclusion and isolation was an issue: transport, housing and living arrangements, health, crime and personal safety, and technology use. This paper contributes to the understanding of views of social inclusion in a particular setting and brings an awareness of the types of solutions a community program can bring to older adults to help keep them socially included. Keywords: ethnography, social exclusion, social inclusion, social isolation, older adults

Highlights

Keeping older adults over 65 years of age socially included is a challenge still being addressed
As an ethnographic study immersed in the field and interacting with participants (Brewer, 2000) the research aims to contribute to the social inclusion literature by exploring the definitions and discourses surrounding inclusion, exclusion and isolation (Lui, Warburton, Winterton & Bartlett, 2011) and how those attending the program experience and make sense of these terms
The study began with formulating a research question to guide it, followed by a general review of literature of problems older adults may face to gain a general knowledge of the field

Summary

Introduction

Keeping older adults over 65 years of age socially included is a challenge still being addressed. Older adults’ views of feeling socially included and avoiding social exclusion and isolation are individual This ethnographic study examines the views participants have about feeling socially included in their community when attending a community healthy ageing program in Brisbane, Australia. The World Health Organisation estimates (2011) that by 2050, 1.5 billion people will be 65 years of age or older This presents some challenges to society to keep older adults – those over 65 – socially included in their communities. Extensive research has been carried out in Australia, there has been criticism that many results have not been able to influence social policy directions to encourage social inclusion (Redmond, 2015) Studies such as Tasmania’s Council on Ageing study (Jamieson, 2011) capture older adults’ views of being socially included and the issues they face that may cause exclusion and isolation. An often overlooked fact is that older adults may have different perceptions of feeling socially included, and there may even be more diverse views within older adult populations (Petriwskyj, Warburton, Everingham & Cuthill, 2012)

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