S. Evans, Community and ageing: maintaining quality of life in housing with care settings

Abstract

Community and Ageing. Maintaining quality of life in housing with care settings by Simon Evans is part of a new series on ageing and life course issues with the aim of providing social and critical perspectives on research, theory, policy and practice developments in the field. In line with the purpose of this series, the title of the book suggests a focus on the social rather than bio-medical aspects of ageing. This is also evident in the author's emphasis on the role of the physical and social 'context' in conceptualizing and framing ageing issues. Specifically, this contribution emphasizes the central importance of a sense of community for older people's quality of life, and explores how this plays out in the now rapid expansion of specialist forms of housing such as retirement villages and extra-care housing. Many of these housing developments are marketed as 'communities' for 'likeminded people' who have similar interests and lifestyles. This valuable book takes a critical look at the extent to which such 'housing with care settings' meet their aspirations to function as 'communities' for older people. At one level, the author supports the thesis that housing with care settings incorporate a range of factors that are widely believed to promote a sense of community. These include opportunities for social interaction, age-friendly design both indoors and outdoors, and a range of facilities and services. Against this, the point is developed that such settings cannot be considered as 'communities' in any real sense, because they focus on similarities and exclusivity rather than on wider integration and 'diversity'. For example, housing with care settings demonstrate limited success in supporting diversity in terms of ethnic background, sexual orientation, socio-economic background and age. Adopting a perspective that views social heterogeneity as important to a sense of community, 'housing with care settings struggle to qualify', the author argues. Age-segregation is considered one of the greatest challenges to a diverse and tolerant notion of 'community', as this model of keeping the old and the young apart may reinforce the increasing distance between age