In recent years, there has been increasing interest and literature on experiences of social exclusion in later life. ‘Social exclusion’ is typically defined as a multifaceted concept involving exclusion from material resources, basic services, social relations, civic participation, as well as a dimension termed ‘neighbourhood exclusion’. This symposium contributes to our understanding of the ways in which neighbourhood exclusion operates in later life, and focusses on the connections between place, urbanisation and social exclusion. Jennifer Prattley, Tine Buffel, Alan Marshall and James Nazroo will present findings from a longitudinal study examining the dynamics of social exclusion among older people in England, and the way in which these relate to area characteristics, including the degree of urbanisation and neighbourhood deprivation. Sofie Van Regenmortel, An-Sofie Smetcoren and Liesbeth De Donder will focus on the spatial differences and environmental determinants of old-age social exclusion in 80 municipalities in Belgium. Anna Wanka will discuss qualitative findings from a study exploring the ‘spatial exclusion’ of ‘urban outcasts’ such as older homeless persons and economically marginalised elders living in Vienna, Austria. Tine Buffel, Samuèle Rémillard-Boilard, Kieran Walsh, Bernard McDonald, An-Sofie Smetcoren and Liesbeth De Donder will present findings from a cross-national study exploring the ways in which ‘age-friendly’ strategies and policies in Brussels (Belgium), Dublin (Ireland) and Manchester (UK) have responded to issues associated with social exclusion. The symposium will conclude with a discussion about the future of the age-friendly movement led by Paul McGarry, Strategic Lead Greater Manchester Ageing Hub and Age-friendly Manchester.
Developing ‘Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC)’ has become a key part of policies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people in urban areas. The World Health Organization has been particularly influential in driving the ‘Age-Friendly’ agenda, notably through its Global Network of AFCC, connecting over 500 cities and communities worldwide. Despite the expansion and achievements of the Network, little is known about the potential and limitations of the age-friendly model to reduce social inequalities and tackle social exclusion in later life. This article addresses this research gap by comparing the ageing strategies in three European cities that are a member of the Global Network of AFCC, with a particular focus on how these have responded to issues associated with old-age exclusion. The presentation examines, first, the origins and goals of the age-friendly approach in Brussels, Dublin and Manchester; second, citywide stakeholders’ perspectives on the relationship between the city’s ageing strategies and the goal of reducing social exclusion; and third, barriers to developing age-friendly policies. The presentation concludes by discussing the key elements and resources needed for age-friendly cities to be effective in responding to the growth of inequality within and between cities and the impact of economic austerity on ageing policies.
The environmental perspective is a relevant perspective in studying social aspects of ageing as older people tend to age in place. Research has already pointed to the association between living environment and income, feelings of safety, wellbeing and social participation of older people. It is clear from these studies that the living environment has a role to play in inequalities in later life. The main aim of this study is to explore this further and focus on old-age social exclusion. First, descriptive statistics on the Belgian Ageing Studies data (N = 19,217) in 80 municipalities show that Belgian municipalities differ in the prevalence of different categories of old-age social exclusion. Second, multilevel analyses including both individual and environmental determinants (objective and subjective) show that individual characteristics such as age, gender, educational level, home ownership, and length of residence, influence one’s likelihood to be excluded. Their influence however varies according to old-age social exclusion category. Furthermore, the role of different environmental determinants in old-age social exclusion supports the hypothesis that residents living in resource poor municipalities are more likely to experience old-age social exclusion. Objective indicators (such as average income and crime rate) combined with subjective indicators (such as perceived service provision and busy traffic) show to significantly increase old-age social exclusion. The discussion emphasises the role of coordinated action on both the local and national level in combating old-age social exclusion and highlights that age-friendly programmes could be enhanced or developed to tackle old-age social exclusion.
Environmental gerontology is concerned with the relationship between to residential environment and the quality of life of older adults in various dimensions, and its results have been widely taken up by political stakeholders (cf. WHO, 2007). But even though there is a consensus that the environment should function as a resource, not a barrier, there is no clear definition of spatial exclusion in later life.
This paper tries to challenge the assumption that older residents are mere victims of their environments whose exclusion must be tackled top-down. It does so by discussing qualitative case studies of older adults living in Vienna. The presented cases might be considered as urban outcasts (Wacquant, 2007): older homeless persons, alcoholics, economically marginalised persons or older persons with mental disorders.
Results show how complex the relationship between older adults and their socio-spatial environment are: People might be socio-economically disadvantaged, but very much integrated into their neighbourhoods; they might be at risk of losing access to certain places, but they are also able to reclaim such places by taking collective action. Finally, the paper discusses how such potentials might be translated into political considerations of age-friendly cities.
Social exclusion in later life is associated with decreased quality of life and poorer health outcomes. Reducing the number of people at risk of exclusion is a key theme in social policy but there is limited understanding of the relationship between neighbourhood characteristics, area deprivation and the level and development of social exclusion amongst older urban dwellers. Multilevel growth curve models for predicting exclusion are fitted to seven waves of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Repeated observations of an individual’s health, socioeconomic status and wealth are considered along with measures of neighbourhood and area deprivation. This multilevel structure has not previously been applied to studies of social exclusion in the United Kingdom and allows for the investigation of causal mechanisms linking area deprivation and exclusion. This research contributes new insight into the development and predictors of exclusion pathways across diverse groups of elders in urban environments.