Is There still Space for Old People? Raising the Issues of Ageing in Urban Environments

Abstract

The rapid aging of the urban population requires an understanding of how the elderly age intertwined with other factors and marginalized the older population in the cities where they lived. Drawing on current knowledge on how people and places interact to form the social links, inclusion and engagement of older adults in communities, this paper explores how older adults act in efforts to create conditions that meet individual and collective needs and wants. It is based on ethnographic and community-based participatory approaches, combining qualitative and spatial methods, including preliminary research groups, in-depth interviews, mapping exercises. A combined participatory geographical and qualitative method allows to illuminate the complex processes between people and places and generate the necessary knowledge in this area. The results show what participants value in travelling, emphasize the importance of interacting with others, and present both positive and negative experiences of social interaction. It is described where or when these interactions occur or not, their nature and relationships, and how older adults develop schedules and routines. The analysis reveals cross-cutting characteristics and the main strategies to contribute to a sense of community and the creation of a social space that facilitates daily activities in the neighbourhood and interactions with others. The study strengthens other research findings on challenges facing older people in urban environments and contributes to the ongoing debate on the changing boundary between public and private space and the moral implications of these changes. Finally, some recommendations have been made for policy makers regarding support of older people.