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Critical Reflections on a Social Inclusion Approach for an Ageing Australia
Abstract
While social exclusion has been identified as a major issue facing older Australians, it has not yet been identified as a priority area for Australian social policy on ageing. This paper critically examines the concept of social exclusion and the issues and challenges in applying a social inclusion approach to social work practice for Australia's ageing population. By critically examining the circumstances underpinning practices of social exclusion and highlighting the complexity of applying a social inclusion approach to ageing issues, this paper outlines the emerging issues and challenges for social workers in adopting a social inclusion approach to ageing issues in the Australian context. The analysis identifies a number of key issues that need to be addressed by service providers committed to redressing social exclusion in later life, including: economic deprivation, cumulative disadvantages, social participation and civic engagement, and cultural recognition.
... Social exclusion is characterized by social isolation that occurs as a result of factors beyond the individual's or group's control [9] and has been linked to inequitable access to "resources, capabilities and rights which leads to health inequalities" [14], p.2. Older adults are most prominently excluded in the contexts of social relations, material and financial resources, civic participation, and services and amenities, among others [13] and specifically, with regard to decisions in the workplace, within families and communities, and in medical settings [15,16]. Theories of social exclusion have been used to foreground and identify issues of inequity reflected in the social conditions and experiences of older adults and, by extension, inform prevention and intervention strategies to enhance the health and well-being of aging populations [17,18]. Indeed, these theories have highlighted the relevance of constructing and using social inclusion frameworks across diverse areas of policy and practice to mitigate inequities affecting older adults and, in turn, systematically aid in preventing and addressing adverse health outcomes associated with social exclusion in aging populations [17,18]. ...
... Theories of social exclusion have been used to foreground and identify issues of inequity reflected in the social conditions and experiences of older adults and, by extension, inform prevention and intervention strategies to enhance the health and well-being of aging populations [17,18]. Indeed, these theories have highlighted the relevance of constructing and using social inclusion frameworks across diverse areas of policy and practice to mitigate inequities affecting older adults and, in turn, systematically aid in preventing and addressing adverse health outcomes associated with social exclusion in aging populations [17,18]. The use of a social inclusion framework in the elder abuse context offers the advantage of considering not only the impact of age on abuse, but other key determinants of health such as gender, ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic status, social support, and trauma history and how these intersect with relational and structural disadvantage [19,20]. ...
... The social inclusion framework developed in this study has been designed to promote equity by addressing systemic sources of social exclusion and isolation affecting aging populations. Indeed, given that the literature on inequity in aging has highlighted the relevance of drawing on principles of social inclusion to address diverse expressions of vulnerability rooted in the social exclusion and isolation of older adults [18], the current framework holds promise in accounting for elder abuse as a product of disadvantage. The framework will prompt relevant stakeholders (e.g., service providers) to consider determinants of health such as social support, culture, and socioeconomic status as indicators of social exclusion and, by extension, factors underlying the particularly heightened susceptibility of some older adults to experiences of elder abuse. ...
A framework of social inclusion can promote equity and aid in preventing and addressing the abuse of older adults. Our objective was to build a social inclusion framework for a comprehensive hospital-based elder abuse intervention being developed. Potential components of such a framework, namely, health determinants and guiding principles, were extracted from a systematic scoping review of existing responses (e.g., interventions, protocols) to elder abuse and collated. These were subsequently rated for their importance to the elder abuse intervention by a panel of violence experts and further evaluated by a panel of elder abuse experts. The final social inclusion framework comprised 12 health determinants each representing factors underpinning susceptibility for abuse in aging populations: history of trauma/abuse, communication needs, disability, health status, mental capacity, social support, culture, language, sexuality, religion, gender identity, and socioeconomic status. The framework also comprised 19 guiding principles each encompassing considerations for equitable engagement with older adults (e.g., All older adults have the right to self-determination, All older adults have the right to be safe, All older adults are assumed competent unless determined otherwise). Integrating this social inclusion framework into the design and delivery of an elder abuse intervention could empower older adults, while at the same time ensuring that practices and policies are tailored to meet their unique and varying needs.
... However, while social inclusion is a priority area for government, the needs of older people have been largely absent from recent policy debates [12]. This is despite its emphasis in aged care policy, with the recent Productivity Commission inquiry [13] highlighting a need to support social inclusion for older people. ...
... Therefore, in the context of neoliberal approaches to social inclusion and limited health and social infrastructure, older people will be required to actively participate in their rural communities to ensure that they have access to the resources they need. However, this further stigmatises those who cannot actively contribute to society [12]. ...
... Thus, given the current population ageing scenario, the lack of policy attention directed towards social inclusion in ageing, and the need for rural communities to provide their own social inclusion solutions, it is critical to identify how local services, supports and infrastructure are catering for the social inclusion of rural older people. Specifically, there is a need to identify capacity-building strategies in regard to social inclusion that respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population [12]. ...
To explore how local governance enables access to resources, creates opportunities and increases capability for older people in rural communities to experience social inclusion.
Twenty-six semi-structured interviews were undertaken with community stakeholders across two rural communities in north-east Victoria. Stakeholders were drawn from local government, and a range of community groups and organisations, as identified in a scoping study.
Through the provision of community resources (e.g. physical and human infrastructure, organisational partnerships), local services and supports offer social and productive environments for participation. They also build individual resources (e.g. health, skills, finances, networks) to enable older people to participate within these environments, and provide assistance to allow older people to use individual and community resources.
Community resources are integral in facilitating the development of older people's individual resources, and opportunities and capabilities for participation. These enable greater choice in participation, and contribute to the sustainability of community resources serving ageing populations.
... Social exclusion gains greater significance in later life, when lifelong accumulation of risk can be carried into later life and when older people have fewer pathways to avoid exclusion (Jehoel-Gijsbers & Vrooman 2007;Warburton et al. 2013). There is growing evidence of old age exclusion associated with factors such as cultural background, location, gender, education and income, and these factors can be compounded by age discrimination or ageist attitudes (Lui et al. 2011). ...
... To ensure that active political participation can redresses old age exclusion, it is critical that new, more active and positive strategies are adopted to counter feelings that most older people are apathetic and simply do not care or are lazy, as this can lead to gatekeepers who unintentionally devalue or stigmatise those who are unable or do not wish to participate (Lui et al. 2011). The inclusion of more diverse groups of older people within organisations can help build organisational sustainability and ensure representativeness of the organisation. ...
Addressing older people’s social exclusion is a major challenge for contemporary societies. However, policies designed to address it have tended to focus on poverty and unemployment. This paper explores the relationship between social exclusion and political participation from the perspective of those already holding responsible roles within seniors’ organisations. We aim to highlight the impact of later-life social exclusion in relation to politically active older individuals from two diverse socio-political contexts, Australia and Spain. Participants perceived a range of potential barriers for the inclusion of new members and their own continued involvement. These related to practical and resource ssues, beliefs and attitudes towards participation, and organisational and contextual issues. Members’ views of retention of existing members as well as the recruitment of new members highlight the complexity associated with building the diversity and representativeness that organisations need if they are to represent seniors’ views in the policy process.
... There are numerous studies of spatial differences in a range of socioeconomic indicators for the total population and for children (see, for example, ABS, 2008;Daly et al., 2008;Lewis and Corliss, 2009;Abello et al., 2012). Yet despite the substantial risks faced by many older Australians -in terms of cumulative material/financial disadvantage, losing partner or living alone, lack of access to services and community activities, and social isolation and age discrimination, little work has been done on socio-economic and spatial dimensions of differences in ageing experience (Davies, 2005;Tanton et al., 2009;Miranti et al., 2010;Gong et al., 2012;Lui et al., 2011). ...
... Research has identified social exclusion as a major issue for the ageing population (Barnes et al., 2006;Naughtin, 2008;Miranti and Yu, 2011;Lui et al. 2011). Naughtin (2008, drawing on national survey data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) and policy work done by the UK Social Exclusion Unit Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (2006) and Barnes et al. (2006), has adapted to an Australian context seven dimensions of social exclusion applicable to later life. ...
Spatial and housing dimensions of economic and social inequalities have had increasing research and policy attention in Australia in recent years. Extensive research demonstrates the importance of the local environment especially for older people who may spend much of their time in their homes and neighbourhoods. While numerous studies have examined the locations of older people, few have systematically examined ways in which disparities of economic resources influence spatial heterogeneity among older Australians. This paper draws on national survey data and spatial microsimulation to examine locational inequalities in economic well-being among older Australians aged 55 years and over. The microsimulation approach makes it possible to analyse multiple dimensions of economic disadvantage (rather than income alone) for older people at a small area level. Significant disparities of income, home ownership and welfare dependence were found along with a strong clustering of elder disadvantage and advantage both within and outside the capital cities.
... 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. What is actually needed to remain socially included appears subjective, and although a healthy ageing program can support this, many factors can influence the feeling of being included, excluded or isolated. ...
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.
... This demonstrates the importance of place both in terms of how inequalities in a community can affect the implementation of age-friendly programs but also in how there can be particular geographies to social exclusion in later life. Accumulative disadvantage over the lifecourse and the increased amount of time older people spend in their immediate neighborhoods mean that spatial inequalities will have a significant influence on the experiences of social inclusion and exclusion as we age (Lui et al., 2011). This will also undermine the capacity of those experiencing social exclusion to engage in age-friendly programs. ...
Despite the identification of social inclusion as a key objective of age-friendly policies and programs, there is limited research evidence as to either the extent to which this has been achieved or how it might be realized. Gaps remain in our understanding of how age-friendly programs might involve different groups of older people and the possible barriers that might be encountered. This paper seeks to address this gap by drawing on evidence from the Ambition for Aging program in Greater Manchester, UK, which implemented a range of projects designed to tackle social isolation in later life. The paper argues that due to its co-production approach and spatial lens, Ambition for Aging was able to involve sections of the older population that otherwise might have remained excluded. In providing further insights relevant to age-friendly programs, the paper also considers some of the barriers experienced by the Ambition for Aging program and builds a case that taking a spatial justice perspective to age-friendly work may help identify and overcome obstacles to achieving social inclusion.
... Wellbeing is an important part of a fulfilling life, and while indicators of wellbeing for the overall population are increasingly available (see the ABS Measures of Australia's Progress and the Australian National Development Index [ANDI], as examples of national indicators), there are currently few indicators of wellbeing for older people (for examples, see Lui et al., 2011;Miranti and Yu, 2015). These indicators are important as they can provide a basis for research on what characteristics are associated with higher wellbeing for older people. ...
s
For older people, place is crucial as it is where support networks, social relationships and family are. Older people develop a sense of belonging to their local community through participation and place is strongly linked to personal histories. For older people, ageing in their own home also allows for continuity of relationships and informal support networks in the area. While there are significant benefits of ageing in place, for older people with low wellbeing, the provision of services is going to be essential to allow them to age in place. Therefore, this article aims to identify areas where older people have low wellbeing using an index of wellbeing developed using a range of data; and to show how the domains and indicators can be used to identify why older people in an area have low wellbeing. This analysis can then be used to help to identify what types of services are required to improve wellbeing in an area of low wellbeing best.
... For example, consumption, political, and social participation are the core dimensions of social exclusion for older adults in general, according to Phillipson and Scharf [25], and key determinants of inclusion include access to material resources, social relationships, and cultural and civic activities, as described by Gordon et al. [26]. Moreover, how the disadvantages faced by older adults can lead to fewer opportunities to participate in society and loss of roles in later life can be well reflected with the use of Burchardt et al.'s framework [27]. The four dimensions are discussed in detail as follows. ...
This study analyzed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide to observe its role in embodying social inclusion of older adults in attempts to prevent social exclusion. Social exclusion refers to the marginalization of individuals and groups from important economic and social opportunities in the society. Many aging societies are implementing social inclusion of older adults as one of their key policy agendas to create a more sustainable and healthy society, in recognition that age functions as one of the essential factors accelerating social exclusion and declining physical and mental health of those affected. In order to explore the pertinence of the WHO guidelines to social inclusion of older adults, content analysis was conducted on each checklist item in the WHO guideline to identify its relation to the four dimensions of social exclusion, which are social interaction, production, consumption, and political engagement. The results showed comprehensive coverage of each dimension by the guideline, although the relative importance of each dimension was unequal. Additional insights were suggested to promote further social inclusion of older adults in the context of an age-friendly environment.
... Klausimas, ką socialinė atskirtis reiškia vyresnio amžiaus žmonėms, pradėtas kelti palyginti neseniai. Tik pastaruoju metu imta domėtis socialinės atskirties sąvokos pritaikomumu vyresnio amžiaus žmonėms ir jos galimybėmis atskleisti gyvenimo antroje pusėje sukauptų pažeidžiamumų [disadvantage] specifiką (Zhu, Walker, 2018;Walsh et al., 2017;Warburton, Ng, Shardlow, 2013;Lui et al., 2011;Walker et al., 2006). Ir daugeliui tyrėjų tenka pripažinti, kad mokslinėje literatūroje randami atsakymai į šį klausimą jų vis dar netenkina (Torres et al., 2017;Walsh et al., 2017, p. 81;Zhu, Walker, 2018;Regenmortel ir kt., 2016). ...
Monografijoje atskleidžiamos Lietuvos vyresnio amžiaus (60 m. ir vyresnių) gyventojų demografinės tendencijos (jų skaičiaus dinamika ir sociodemografinės charakteristikos) bei socialinės įtraukties klausimai. Ypatingas dėmesys skiriamas tiems, kurie gyvena būste vieni. Kiek vyresnio amžiaus žmonių gyvenimas po vieną yra susijęs su asmens rizika patirti socialinę atskirtį, izoliaciją ir vienatvę? Kaip jie patys suvokia savo laisvę, vienatvę, socialinį dalyvavimą, senatvę? Šie ir kiti klausimai nagrinėjami, išeities tašku pasirinkus mokslinės literatūros analizę ir naudojant plačius statistikos bei originalaus sociologinio tyrimo (kiekybinio ir kokybinio), finansuoto Lietuvos mokslo tarybos (sut. Nr. GER-001/2017), duomenis. Monografijos tikslinė auditorija pirmiausiai yra mokslo
bendruomenė, tačiau tekstą rengėme atsižvelgdamos taip pat į plačios ir mišrios auditorijos – studentų ir doktorantų, nevyriausybinių organizacijų ir politikos formuotojų – poreikius. Tikimės, kad knyga sudomins ne tik įvairių sričių profesionalus ir būsimuosius specialistus, dirbančius / ketinančius dirbti vyresnio amžiaus žmonių gerovei, bet ir plačią visuomenę. SUMMARY in English provided at p.191-198. List of Tables and Figures p. 4-8.
... 4 Less research attention, however, has been directed towards broader conceptualisations of discrimination in later life and how discrimination is experienced by different population groups. While age discrimination itself can intensify the social exclusion of older people in Australia, 5 other forms of discrimination that are not necessarily age-related may compound social disadvantage in later life. For example, recent studies have underscored the considerable exposure to racial discrimination amongst older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ...
Objective:
To examine the prevalence, context and types of discrimination reported by older Australians (aged 55 years and over) and associations between outcomes (trust, self-efficacy and life satisfaction) and exposure to discrimination.
Methods:
The 2014 General Social Survey was used to measure discrimination. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between levels of trust, self-efficacy and life satisfaction and exposure to discrimination.
Results:
A sizeable minority of older Australians with a disability reported discrimination (15%), with higher exposure for those with more severe or multiple disabilities. In addition to disability, age and nationality, race or ethnic group were cited as reasons for discrimination. Discrimination was reported across a variety of contexts, including everyday social interactions. Lower levels of trust, self-efficacy and life satisfaction were associated with exposure to disability discrimination.
Conclusions:
Focusing on disability discrimination alone underestimates the level of exposure to discrimination. Discrimination may reinforce social exclusion by reducing trust and self-efficacy in familial and community contexts.
... 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. What is actually needed to remain socially included appears subjective, and although a healthy ageing program can support this, many factors can influence the feeling of being included, excluded or isolated. ...
... Klausimas, ką socialinė atskirtis reiškia vyresnio amžiaus žmonėms, pradėtas kelti palyginti neseniai. Tik pastaruoju metu imta domėtis socialinės atskirties sąvokos pritaikomumu vyresnio amžiaus žmonėms ir jos galimybėmis atskleisti gyvenimo antroje pusėje sukauptų pažeidžiamumų [disadvantage] specifiką (Zhu, Walker, 2018;Walsh et al., 2017;Warburton, Ng, Shardlow, 2013;Lui et al., 2011;Walker et al., 2006). Ir daugeliui tyrėjų tenka pripažinti, kad mokslinėje literatūroje randami atsakymai į šį klausimą jų vis dar netenkina (Torres et al., 2017;Walsh et al., 2017, p. 81;Zhu, Walker, 2018;Regenmortel ir kt., 2016). ...
Monografijoje atskleidžiamos Lietuvos vyresnio amžiaus (60 m. ir vyresnių) gyventojų demografinės tendencijos (jų skaičiaus dinamika ir sociodemografinės charakteristikos) bei socialinės įtraukties klausimai. Ypatingas dėmesys skiriamas tiems, kurie gyvena būste vieni. Kiek vyresnio amžiaus žmonių gyvenimas po vieną yra susijęs su asmens rizika patirti socialinę atskirtį, izoliaciją ir vienatvę? Kaip jie patys suvokia savo laisvę, vienatvę, socialinį dalyvavimą, senatvę? Šie ir kiti klausimai nagrinėjami, išeities tašku pasirinkus mokslinės literatūros analizę ir naudojant plačius statistikos bei originalaus sociologinio tyrimo (kiekybinio ir kokybinio), finansuoto Lietuvos mokslo tarybos (sut. Nr. GER-001/2017), duomenis. Monografijos tikslinė auditorija pirmiausiai yra mokslo bendruomenė, tačiau tekstą rengėme atsižvelgdamos taip pat į plačios ir mišrios auditorijos – studentų ir doktorantų, nevyriausybinių organizacijų ir politikos formuotojų – poreikius. Tikimės, kad knyga sudomins ne tik įvairių sričių profesionalus ir būsimuosius specialistus, dirbančius / ketinančius dirbti vyresnio amžiaus žmonių gerovei, bet ir plačią visuomenę.
The monograph reveals demographic trends of the Lithuanian older (60 years and older) population (dynamics of their quantities and socio-demographic characteristics) and issues of social inclusion. Particular attention is paid to those who live in dwelling alone. How much living alone in the second half of life is related to the risk of person to experience social exclusion, isolation and loneliness? How do they perceive their freedom, loneliness, social participation, and old age? These and other issues are studied starting with the analysis of scientific literature and using extensive statistical data, as well as data from original sociological research (quantitative and qualitative) funded by the Lithuanian Research Council (contract No. GER-001/2017). The target audience for the monograph is primarily the scientific community, but we have prepared the text also considering the needs of a broad and mixed audience - students and doctoral students, non-governmental organizations and policy makers. We hope that the book will be of interest not only for professionals and prospective professionals from various fields working / intending to work for the well-being of older people, but also for the general public.
... The definitions discussed above have been applied to tackle social exclusion among various population groups such as the disabled, abused children, single parents and the mentally ill. In recent years researchers have paid closer attention to social exclusion in relation to the older population and its special features (Lui et al. 2011;Walker et al. 2006;Warburton, Ng and Shardlow 2013). There are two key concerns that need to be addressed when adopting an exclusion focus on older adults. ...
... Warburton et al. (2013) chart a theoretical analysis of the social inclusion/exclusion of older people. Lui et al. (2011) identify economic deprivation, cumulative disadvantages, social participation and civic engagement, and cultural recognition as key challenges, in their critique of the Australian social inclusion approach. Scharf et al. (2001) refer to participation and integration, spatial segregation, and institutional disengagement as key exclusion themes, while Scharf (2015) examines the role of economic austerity in constructing and exacerbating old-age exclusion. ...
As a concept, social exclusion has considerable potential to explain and respond to disadvantage in later life. However, in the context of ageing populations, the construct remains ambiguous. A disjointed evidence-base, spread across disparate disciplines, compounds the challenge of developing a coherent understanding of exclusion in older age. This article addresses this research deficit by presenting the findings of a two-stage scoping review encompassing seven separate reviews of the international literature pertaining to old-age social exclusion. Stage one involved a review of conceptual frameworks on old-age exclusion, identifying conceptual understandings and key domains of later-life exclusion. Stage two involved scoping reviews on each domain (six in all). Stage one identified six conceptual frameworks on old-age exclusion and six common domains across these frameworks: neighbourhood and community; services, amenities and mobility; social relations; material and financial resources; socio-cultural aspects; and civic participation. International literature concentrated on the first four domains, but indicated a general lack of research knowledge and of theoretical development. Drawing on all seven scoping reviews and a knowledge synthesis, the article presents a new definition and conceptual framework relating to old-age exclusion.
... Wellbeing is an important part of a fulfilling life, and while indicators of wellbeing for the overall population are increasingly available (see the ABS Measures of Australia's Progress and the Australian National Development Index, ANDI, as examples of national indicators), there are currently few indicators of wellbeing for older people (for examples, see Lui et al, 2011;and Miranti and Yu, 2015). These indicators are important as they can provide a basis for research on what is associated with higher wellbeing for older people. ...
... Social exclusion impacts on individuals and communities and can be manifested through the place-based structures and relationships that we interact with around our homes. Moreover, there is a growing literature that suggests understanding the relationship between older people and their communities is often fundamental to unpacking how neighbourhoods and communities can intensify the potential for exclusion in old-age and equally can help to protect against exclusion in old-age (Walsh et al. 2012c;Buffel et al. 2013;Lui et al. 2011). ...
... Crime, harm and criminalisation are also incorporated, including the risk of abuse at home and exposure to bullying, harassment and discrimination. Lui et al. (2011) have examined social exclusion in the case of social workers and identified domains that are important for Australian older people. These domains include economic deprivation, cumulative disadvantage, social participation, civil engagement and cultural recognition. ...
The existing literature on social exclusion among older people, though relatively limited, suggests that disadvantage among older people is cumulative in nature. Some aspects of disadvantage starting at early life stages have long-term consequences. As such, older people with disadvantages may be subject to higher risks of persistent social exclusion. This article aims to improve understanding of social exclusion and its persistence among senior Australians in three ways. Firstly, the incidence of social exclusion among older people is analysed using selected indicators. Secondly, the study examines whether an older person experiencing social exclusion at one time is more likely to experience it again (persistence). Thirdly, it investigates what factors may be protecting older people from social exclusion. The analysis is conducted using the first eight waves of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. The sample of older people is disaggregated into a younger group (55-64 years at wave 1) and an older group (65+ years). The article suggests that higher education and income, as well as better health conditions and previous employment experiences, are important protective factors from social exclusion for older Australians.
... In fact, a key research dimension has been an exploration on how older people may be at risk of exclusion from the benefits of communities afforded other citizens (Scharf & Keating, 2012;Warburton, Ng, & Shardlow, 2013). This literature highlights the challenges of ageist assumptions and the impact of exclusionary processes on older people's lives (Lui, Warburton, Winterton, & Bartlett, 2011). The World Health Organization's focus on age-friendly cities and communities (2007) has helped frame the ageing and community agenda within a context of inclusion, addressing questions of how places can be made more age friendly through changes to both social and physical community features (Buffel, Phillipson, & Scharf, 2012;Lui, Everingham, Warburton, Cuthill, & Bartlett, 2009;Menec, Means, Keating, Parkhurst, & Eales, 2011;Scharlach & Lehning, 2013). ...
Population ageing is one of the major contemporary issues facing societies across the world. Originally framed as a major social and economic challenge, demographic ageing is now beginning to be seen as offering huge potential to individuals as well as to their communities. It is this positive potential that we explore in this issue by utilising two key disciplinary approaches—social gerontology and social/community psychology. In this introduction, we argue that focus on only one or the other of these perspectives is limiting. Instead, a more critical approach is needed that incorporates the strengths of both disciplines in order to build a more complete and stronger understanding of ageing and community. Thus, a focus on social gerontology highlights ageing issues and explores the diversity of older people and their interactions with community. By incorporating a social/community psychology approach, there is potential to complement this body of work through a deeper level of analysis around community, as well as individual and relational dimensions. The result is a special issue that brings together these two perspectives to address some of the shortcomings of approaching ageing through solely one disciplinary lens. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Social participation is an effective way to reduce loneliness among older adults. However, little is known about Black older adults’ (BOAs’) poor participation in social programs. This study thus explores the varied factors that shape BOAs’ participation in social programs and services and how lack of social participation contributes to loneliness. 13 BOAs with mean age of 63.8 participated in this narrative study. Misrepresentation of BOAs in social programs and services, lack of opportunity for employment engagement, affordability and accessibility were key themes. These findings highlight the need for integration of strategies to increase cultural diversity in programs in Ontario.
Congregate living among older adults aims to enhance important aspects of well-being, such as sense of community and social engagement. Such settings, however, involve a complexity of social and power relations, and inclusion and exclusion along lines of occupation and place can occur. In this paper we develop a concept of contested occupation in place and use this concept to explore experiences of inclusion and exclusion in a seniors-only apartment building. Data were drawn from a participatory action research (PAR) project aimed at building social connectedness among residents of this building. Throughout the project we collected data about the PAR processes and outcomes through observation and reflexive notetaking. We also conducted end-of-project semi-structured interviews with nine residents who were part of the PAR collective. Analysis focused on data pertaining to issues of occupation in place, including key collective occupations, points of tension, and links to communal spaces in the apartment building. The findings presented here centre on collective occupations in the building common room that were contested and illustrate how occupation in place can be a mechanism of exclusion. Residents attempted to assert power in a variety of ways, often related to pre-existing social tensions. These findings indicate the importance of attending to power dynamics over time and identifying potentially exclusionary practices within collective occupation in place. Further research can explore how dynamics at micro scales reflect larger societal dynamics of inclusion and exclusion, as well as explore additional settings in which older adults live and engage in collective occupations.
ABSTARCT
A common policy challenge across many countries is how to accommodate an increasingly ageing and vulnerable rural population. Everyday challenges include proximity to services, transport, and fuel poverty. Policies aimed to tackle rural poverty have learned to look beyond agri-food productivity and that the ‘top-down’ approach must be met with local knowledge.
We use random effects binary logit models to investigate how people's health and social isolation are affected by socio-economic characteristics, as well as by the different rural policies. Thus, this paper extends the evaluation of rural policies contributing to tackling rural poverty and social isolation by measuring the impact of a nationally funded rural development initiative. Our case study investigates the Maximizing Access in Rural Areas initiative (2012–2014), a ‘smart’ rural development programme within Northern Ireland that married local knowledge with government objectives to mitigate poverty and isolation.
Results indicate that, although men's health deteriorated from 2012 to 2014, the MARA programme countered levels of deprivation. The most successful intervention was improving access to local services. However, this result is strongly dependent on a robust rural transport support network. Moreover, when considering rural poverty, health and isolation are two primary metrics, both dovetail to create what is truly rural poverty, and rural development is only effective when it tackles both.
Bushfire is an increasing threat in Australia, with population movement and mobility, shifts in climate patterns and the unevenness in preventive measures across the country. It raises specific questions for populations living in localities as well as for governments and agencies tasked with the question of how to ensure the ongoing safety of the communities that constitute these localities. Effective communication is central to the processes of bushfire preparedness and response.
The relationship between social exclusion and posttraumatic stress reactions in aging veterans is a particularly timely issue, warranting greater attention in the social work literature. Research with military veterans indicates that the social marginalization resulting from racial and ethnic discrimination can exacerbate posttraumatic stress symptoms. This marginalization suggests an increased potential for emergent or recurrent trauma reactions in aging military veterans, as previous research has documented older adults' unique risk for social exclusion. The issue takes on greater relevance as increased numbers of Vietnam veterans enter older adulthood. Professionals working with military veterans should be aware of the social and cultural factors that play a critical role in posttrauma response and recovery.
The inclusive development strategy proposed by the Chinese government embraces social inclusion for older people. In line with most developing countries, China's policy on social inclusion for older people focuses almost exclusively on material security in the form of pensions. This paper examines the impact of pensions on social inclusion for older people across four dimensions: family interaction, social support, social participation and self-assessment using data from the 2014 China Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey. The results demonstrate that pensions improve dramatically the relationships between older adults and their family members and friends, and therefore their social inclusion in the life world. The exception is social participation which seems to be immune to material income effects. However, the stratified pension system in China generates complex and hierarchical effects on social inclusion among different sub-groups. Social inclusion among older people with high exclusion risks but low pensions is very sensitive to pension levels. Conversely, most pensions are distributed to those with the lowest exclusion risks as a result of the disappearance of their impact on social inclusion. We argue that future social inclusion policies for older people in China should focus first on achieving greater equality in pensions.
Australia, as part of the global trend, is ageing with a predominantly urban population. However, despite two Australian cities participating in the research guiding the development of the World Health Organization Age Friendly Cities and Communities (WHO AFCC) Guide in 2007, the uptake of the AFCC model nationwide has been relatively stagnant. Through a case study approach, this chapter examines the factors which limited the implementation of AFCC in the state of Victoria, even with the initial provision of funds to support relevant policy and service reform. These findings point to the inability of each of the three levels of government to provide clear leadership, and to ensure that changes consistent with a whole-of-government, multi-sectorial partnership approach were progressed through a vision of the positive contribution of older people.
Creating opportunities for inclusive participation by older people in local governance is made more complex by their diversity, which can shape who participates, in what ways and how effectively. Existing research, however, largely focuses on the impact of socio-demographic characteristics or of individual barriers on participation, without considering how interactions between these may shape pathways to participation among older people. This quantitative study explored the relationships between participation by older people, barriers to participation, and socio-demographic characteristics. Results indicate that socio-demographic diversity impacts on the importance attributed to barriers as well as the strength and direction of their relationships with participation. The findings problematize the dominant approaches to understanding barriers to and patterns in participation. A more sophisticated understanding of inclusive governance in ageing communities needs to consider the iterative and interactional nature of pathways to participation in the context of the complexity of the ‘older population’.
Risk individualisation is increasingly apparent in policy and practice discourses on social exclusion. For older people who live in rural communities, potentially compounding risk factors associated with social exclusion emerge from the intersection of ageing and rurality. When linked to the diversity of individuals, rural settings, and national jurisdictions, this raises intriguing questions concerning how rural communities perceive and manage related risk. The article draws on comparable data from Australia, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to explore rural community stakeholders' perceptions of the construction of, and responsibility for, risk of old-age social exclusion. Data derive from interviews and focus groups with 84 stakeholders from 13 settings across the three jurisdictions. Analysis illustrates an almost universal narrative around the individualisation of risk of old-age social exclusion, where rural communities serve a role in risk mitigation more than construction. The narrative's policy, sociocultural and contextual drivers, together with its implications, are discussed with reference to the contrasting national contexts. Sociologia Ruralis
This study examines older people's homelessness in Australia, with a particular focus on the experience of becoming homeless for the first time in later life. The study seeks to gain a national understanding of older people's homelessness and to inform prevention strategies by drawing on interventions undertaken in a range of geographically and socially diverse locations across Australia. The research is partnered with Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged (ACHA) agencies throughout Australia. This program, currently funded through the federal Department of Social Services (previously funded by the Department of Health and Ageing) and operating through community and government agencies, is purposively designed to assist disadvantaged older people who are at risk of homelessness or are homeless. It aims to facilitate their ongoing independence within the community by facilitating access to appropriate and affordable housing and by linking older people where appropriate to community care and support services. This practice model corresponds strongly to contemporary homelessness prevention practice. The paradigm of housing alongside appropriate supports underpins the ACHA program and thus provides not only a specialised focus on vulnerable older people but also a link with contemporary homelessness initiatives. There has been longstanding criticism of a lack of attention to older people's homelessness. However, in Australia there has been increasing recognition of this distinctive form of social exclusion. Leading on from recommendations in the Australian Government's 'White Paper' on homelessness (FaHCSIA 2008), legislative changes to the Aged Care Act 1997 identify older people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless (Part 2.2, Section 11-3) as a special needs group that receive priority access to residential aged care. In addition, there has been funding of specialised aged care facilities that provide care for formerly homeless people who have complex health needs. Of particular importance is the acknowledgement of homelessness in the aged care reform package, Living longer. Living better. (DoHA 2012), which has resulted in increased funding for outreach services to older people in housing crisis in rural areas. This initiative signals a clear recognition that housing is an aged care issue. Historically, with the exception of the small ACHA program, Australia's housing and ageing portfolios have operated separately. There have been consistent calls by gerontologists that housing and ageing policy need to be coupled. The homelessness policy attention has largely focused on older people who live with a range of complex care needs linked to their homeless history where independent housing is not seen as appropriate. There is also a clear need to consider older people experiencing homelessness for the first time in their later years in the policy arena. Notwithstanding the significant and growing numbers of older people experiencing either first time homelessness or housing crises in later life, there is little empirical evidence about the nature of the problem in Australia and the drivers of first time homelessness among older people nationally. In the absence of a national evidence base there are limitations in the capacity to achieve homelessness prevention objectives for this group. Research aims: This study aims to contribute to the evidence base about homelessness prevention for older people experiencing homelessness or housing crises in later life. Building on the existing evidence drawn primarily from Australia's two largest capital cities, Sydney and Melbourne, this study examines older people's homelessness and preventive strategies in geographically, culturally and economically diverse areas of Australia. It draws on new empirical material gathered in five Australian states and across 31 agencies working with older people in housing need. Specifically, the study undertook to: → Review Australia's knowledge of older people's homelessness in the context of international literature. Consideration of the research literature in Australia and other western countries provides an understanding not only of the living circumstances of vulnerable older people but also the distinctive characteristics of homelessness as it is experienced by older people. In particular, the pattern of long-term and first time homelessness is highlighted as a theme in the literature. → Consider insights from gerontology. In particular, the frameworks of life course theory-our rich knowledge of the role of home and place and their integral nature to older people's wellbeing, and agency or the purposive actions of older people in managing their lives-are discussed. This discussion seeks to build recognition of older people's homelessness within gerontology. Social gerontology is rich in understandings of older people's living environments and the circumstances of older people experiencing disadvantage and deprivation. These insights are important to homelessness scholarship and provide important conceptual guidance. This discussion is then linked to homelessness prevention. It is argued that homelessness prevention needs to be tailored to the diverse and complex nature of exclusion as it is experienced by older Australians. → Empirically seek an understanding of older people's homelessness across a range of locales in Australia. In partnership with ACHA agencies the research involved two phases data-mining and semi-structured interviews. Client records were mined for three months at the end of 2012 providing quantitative and qualitative data on 561 older people in housing crisis. The material gained included demographic data, housing history, critical housing incident and living arrangements. In conjunction, interviews with 20 ACHA workers and stakeholders were undertaken. The interviews sought to gain a rich understanding of the circumstances in different locales and housing market contexts, and consider issues such as culture, gender and access to services. The project was exploratory in nature. The analysis of the data was conducted utilising the gerontological and homelessness prevention frameworks outlined above. → Provide a detailed analysis of the nature of older people's homelessness. This was an iterative process utilising the quantitative and qualitative data with the aim of outlining pathways into homelessness in later life. This provides a useful framework for policy and planning processes. In addition the empirical research involved gaining insight into the intervention strategies utilised to address older people's homelessness. Prevention was a particular focus of this analysis. This research project, with its multiple foci, draws on a large amount of individual client case records and insights from interviews with professionals skilled in working with vulnerable older people in housing crisis. It provides a rich and illuminating understanding of homelessness for older Australians. The inclusion of urban, rural and remote areas of Australia in this study not only provides an understanding of different geographies and their respective structural contexts but also encapsulates an understanding of the interplay of gender and culture. Key findings: Older people's homelessness in Australia is predominately about experiencing homelessness for the first time in later years. Previous research in Australia has intimated the importance of first time homelessness among older people. However, these studies have been small exploratory studies. This study, the largest study to date in Australia on older people's homelessness, confirms this distinctive pathway. Pathways to homelessness The study identified three pathways into homelessness for older Australians: 1. People with a history of conventional housing. 2. People who live with ongoing housing disruption. 3. People with a transient housing history. Each pathway has distinctive characteristics and is easily identifiable. Within each pathway there is diversity of experience. While this study is primarily concerned with first time homelessness it is considered important to outline and understand all later life homelessness events in Australia so that we can form a clear picture. The focus of the study was people with a conventional housing history who presented to ACHA with a range of critical housing incidents. On the whole people with a conventional housing history had been renters, mainly in the private market. In order of frequency the critical incidents were grouped as: → Being served a Notice to Vacate (NTV). → Being unable to continue living with family. → Lack of affordable housing options. → Inaccessible housing design making it unsafe to continue residency. → Breakdown in a relationship. The impact of a breakdown in intergenerational housing arrangements and resulting homelessness risk for older people is an important finding in this study. Older people face a housing crisis when they are unable to continue living with family due to carer stress, overcrowding, tension and breakdown and, in a small number of cases, elder abuse. The inability of Australia's housing, particularly the private rental market, to facilitate older people ageing in place was another significant finding. Physical access issues were a dominant reason for older people to be in housing crisis. Notice to Vacate (NTV) and lack of affordability were also common critical housing incidents. This latter finding reinforces our understanding of the deprivation and vulnerability older people reliant on the pension experience while managing private rental payments. In addition, this finding highlights the need to consider accessibility as part of the provision of affordable housing in Australia. The other pathways identified in the study, both with very distinct characteristics, relate to ongoing housing disruption and transience.
Elder mediators require specialist knowledge of aging in context, capacity, and dementia as well as skills in strategic intervention to redress power imbalances without jeopardizing mediator neutrality and the integrity of the mediation process. A review of the literature on the social context of aging highlights problems faced by older people. It is argued that a strengths approach facilitates critical reflection on issues of stigma, discrimination, and power imbalances. A focus on positive aspects of aging is emphasized promoting an encouraging environment for older people and family members to engage effectively in the mediation process.
The literature identifies rural, older people as at risk of social exclusion, as a result of rural disadvantage. In this context, improved access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) has potential to build social inclusion, yet current evidence shows that rural, older people are the lowest current users of technology. This paper draws on the practice and local knowledge of rural practitioners from one Victorian region in order to explore: (a) the practice issues associated with ICT use among rural, older people; and (b) the characteristics of effective practice models in the rural, social work context. An analysis of findings highlights the need to respond to the diverse skills, needs, and learning styles of older people, to demonstrate the benefits of ICTs, involve users, and build confidence. Major barriers include poor ICT usage by many rural agencies and low practitioner capacity, as well as access and resources.
This paper provides an introduction to a special issue focusing on diverse examples of policy practice in social inclusion and ageing across different regions of the world. These examples illustrate the multifaceted nature of the concept of social inclusion, and how it is applied in the context of global demographic ageing. The paper begins with an exploration of the history and development of the concept of social inclusion, as applied to ageing policy, and how the concept has emerged following its initial association with economic disadvantage. Now commonly defined as relating to social participation in key activities of the society in which people live, a social inclusionary approach highlights the risks of social exclusion and isolation faced by older people. Social inclusion thus incorporates core issues in ageing such as civil engagement, an ageing workforce, age-friendly communities, and civic involvement. There are some particular challenges to implementing social inclusion policies within the current environment, which are addressed within this special issue, and these include the impact of social and cultural change, particularly across some of the East Asian countries, and the impact of global financial crises on work and retirement.
This paper undertakes a comprehensive review of the growing international literature on the adoption and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) among older people. Issues associated with access and adoption of ICTs among older people living in rural communities will be explored, drawing on social capital as a theoretical lens through which to identify how these new technologies can build healthy ageing. ICTs as bridging social capital can address some of the challenges of service provision in rural Australia and provide access to more extensive information and resources. ICTs can also contribute to bonding social capital through access to other forms of communication to build on local connectedness. However, rural, older people face particular challenges of access, which may exacerbate the cycle of rural social exclusion. In the context of the Australian National Broadband rollout, it is timely to consider how some of these disparities can be addressed.
This qualitative study examines meanings and experiences of ageism for older
Australians. While the concept is widely applied in academic social analysis,
the term is not understood or used by many of the informants. They talk freely,
however, about negative experiences in ‘being seen as old’ and ‘being treated
as old’. Active ageing is viewed as a positive way of presenting and
interpreting oneself as separate from the ‘old’ group. Informants recognise
that older people as a group experience negative treatment in terms of poor
access to transport and housing, low incomes, forced retirement and
inadequate nursing home care. While few have experienced overt or brutal
ageism, interaction in everyday life involves some negative treatment,
occasional positive ‘sageism’, and others ‘keeping watch’ for one's vulnerabilities.
Health professionals are a major source of ageist treatment. Some
older people limit their lives by accommodating ageism, while others actively
negotiate new images of ageing for themselves and those who will be old in the
future.
Australian sociology has wrestled with most of the big issues facing this society; however, when it comes to one of the most significant changes to face Australia in the next 30 years, it has suddenly lost its capacity to engage with the nexus between demography, social processes and political structures. While governments have forged ahead with responsibilization agendas in health, welfare and unemployment, sociology has voiced its concern about the implications for Australia’s most disadvantaged. Yet, when it comes to population ageing, sociology has been, in large part, silent in the face of neoliberal policies of positive ageing, which have framed the ‘problem’ as a deficit that must be managed primarily by individuals and their families. This article maps the field of positive ageing, identifies key social concerns with this policy approach and asks, where is Australian sociology?
Not all people have the equal opportunities to engage in civic action. In this article, the author specifically highlights older adults for whom civic engagement may be inaccessible because of their health, social, and economic status; and suggests ways we can promote inclusion\ by improving institutional capacity.
The paper reviews the usefulness of the concept of social exclusion for Australian social housing policy. We draw on recent theoretical and empirical research from Europe and the UK to develop a critique of the concept of social exclusion. It is argued that any assessment of social exclusion needs to distinguish between its utility as an academic explanatory concept and its political deployment to justify new forms of policy intervention. Policy targeting anti-social behaviour through increasingly more punitive means, for instance, is often justified on the basis that it ameliorates the problems of social exclusion experienced by tenants residing in public housing estates. We conclude that, in spite of the limitations of social exclusion as an analytical concept, for political and pragmatic reasons it is likely to become an important component of the emerging Australian housing policy agenda.
This paper critically explores notions of social inclusion in mental health and considers some of the problems associated with its wide scale adoption as a policy driver and moral imperative. It draws out some of the assumptions underpinning strategies of inclusion and possible consequences of the move from a focus on exclusion to imperatives to 'include'. It argues that these assumptions may lead to individualised practices guided by judgments as to what constitutes a 'healthy' or 'normal' life. Rather than being seen as a necessary and unquestionable 'human right' or a top-down form of social engineering, social inclusion can be viewed as a paradoxical claim which both expresses a genuine demand to tackle the consequences of social inequality and yet at the same could become another way people with mental health problems are subject to moral and social regulation.
The concept of social exclusion represents a key theme in current social policy debates in the United Kingdom. This reflects not only the deepening of social inequalities in Britain over recent decades, but also a growing marginalisation of particular social groups and areas. While poverty and income inequality continue to be important elements of the social exclusion debate, a central concern of this debate refers to loss of access to important life chances, especially those that connect individuals to the mainstream of society. However, policy initiatives on social exclusion have tended, for a combination of economic and political reasons, to focus on groups such as children, young families and the unemployed. Ways in which social exclusion may affect older people have largely been neglected. This article seeks to generate a better understanding of the dimensions of social exclusion relevant to older people. Following a discussion of existing approaches to exclusion, three key themes are developed in greater detail. These relate, first, to issues concerning participation and integration beyond the labour market; second, to aspects of spatial segregation; and third, to exclusion as a form of institutional disengagement. These ideas are explored further with reference to empirical evidence drawn from group discussions with older people living in socially deprived neighbourhoods in three English cities.
Controversy over the setting of poverty lines and its narrow focus on income has undermined the influence of poverty research on policy. The deprivation approach overcomes these limitations by identifying deprivation as an inability to afford items that receive majority support for being essential. This paper estimates the incidence of deprivation and compares the results with those produced using a conventional poverty framework. The results confirm overseas findings by showing that the groups most deprived differ from those with the highest poverty rates and that there is a low degree of overlap between income poverty and deprivation. Older people show up as faring better under the deprivation approach, while working-age individuals and families fare worse and the relative position of the most highly disadvantaged groups are worse in terms of deprivation than in terms of poverty. Deprivation also provides a clearer differentiation between those who can and cannot afford specific necessities than a classification based on low income, and is also shown to vary systematically with several indicators of subjective well-being. Estimates of consistent poverty that combine low income with deprivation are shown to differ from conventional (income-based) poverty rates, and provide the basis for future poverty measures. Copyright © 2009 The Economic Society of Australia.
The idea of social exclusion is part of the new political language. When Labour came into government in 1997, it launched the Social Exclusion Unit to pursue this central theme. But what exactly does social inclusion mean? This revised and updated edition of The Inclusive Society? identifies three competing meanings of the term in contemporary British Politics, emphasising poverty, employment and morality. Ruth Levitas argues that there has been a shift away from understanding social exclusion as primarily a problem of poverty, towards questions of social integration through paid work and moral regulation.
The application of free-market principles to welfare reform in western industrialised nations is underpinned by contentious assumptions about human behaviour. In the postwar era, welfare policies largely considered disadvantage and exclusion as structural problems of the economy and society generally; disadvantaged individuals were considered 'victims' of their environment. More recently, conservative contributors have re-emphasised disadvantage and exclusion as largely due to behavioural problems of the 'undeserving poor', manifest in what is believed to be an 'underclass'. Critics of the current welfare reform agenda have voiced their concerns about the individualist assumptions that underpin it but their response to date is insufficient because they have generally neglected human agency and have failed to acknowledge individuals as capable actors. While there has been a revival of interest in human agency, greater recognition of agency in debates about welfare is required to mount a credible critique of the conservative assumptions about human behaviour in order to develop a more sensitive theory of the activities of the poor. One of the ways in which this may be achieved is by reconceptualising the concept of social exclusion and highlighting a 'strong' rather than a 'weak' version.
This study refutes negative ageist stereotypes of how older people view themselves and society by reporting on their freely expressed main hope and main fear for the future. Data were collected through a population based cross-sectional telephone interview survey conducted in NSW in 1999/2000. Participants (n=8,881) were randomly selected community dwelling older Australians (65+). Analyses revealed that participants were more likely to express a hope than a fear, and that a sizeable proportion of their hopes and fears were focused outwardly to family, or more broadly to social and environmental issues both locally and globally. These latter hopes and fears indicate awareness, interest and concern on a wide range of issues outside self and family. Some differences by gender and age were identified but views varied considerably among individuals. These findings provide evidence to dispel the negative image of older people as a self interested undifferentiated group whose members become progressively fearful as they age, by revealing an altruistic and outwardly focused dimension.
Rural communities represent a large proportion of Australia’s most disadvantaged areas, with a growing percentage of older people concentrated in these locations. Older people residing in these communities are subject to both the disadvantages of rural living, as well as the health and mobility issues associated with ageing. This paper reviews the literature relating to rural disadvantage, and find that the issues are far more complex than previously thought. As well as disadvantages, there are also benefits to rural living, which can alleviate disadvantage for many older people. However, these same socio-cultural and structural factors are inter-related, and can also mask or increase rural disadvantage in certain circumstances or for particular groups. These factors are dynamic, interactive, and often invisible, and can impact on quality of life. Findings suggest a need for research into the relationship between disadvantage, the experience of rural living and the concept of healthy ageing.
This article reviews the development of social policy in the European Union since the mid-1980s. It describes the origins and evolution of the concept of social exclusion, the dominant paradigm for social welfare policy-making in the European Union and its member states. Case examples from Great Britain and Wales provide indications of the impacts for direct services.
The contemporary focus on family policy and old age has become increas- ingly important in social discourses on aging both within the discipline of Sociology and social policy practices of welfare institutions that attempt to define later life. Using the United Kingdom as a case study, sheds light on wider current trends associated with aging in United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Social welfare is a pivotal domain where social discourses on aging have become located. Narratives are 'played out' with regard to the raw material supplied by family policy for identity performance of older people. Therefore, grounding developments in 'narra- tivity' provides a sociological framework to assess the changing discourses associated with family policy and older people as advanced through different policy positions.
This article includes a critical assessment of “positive aging” policies, which are becoming increasingly popular in North America and parts of Europe. Trends in UK social policy are used as a case example to draw out guiding narratives, effecting both the public legitimacy and the personal identities that are made available to older people. In particular, the value of work and work-related initiatives is questioned if these artificially restrict socially valued definitions of adult aging. It is argued that a narrative approach can make explicit elements that are often taken for granted in policy making. It also draws attention to the complex and contradictory nature of the stories that we are encouraged to live by in later life by opening up a critical space between description, intention, and agency. A critical narrativity allows us to interrogate political attempts to fix definitions of later life, which may or may not benefit older people themselves.
Neighbourhoods contribute significantly to shaping their residents' identities. The neighbourhood may be even more important for older than younger people and has been associated with intensification of feelings about locality and space. In the context of a study that examines the concerns of older people living in areas of England characterised by intense social deprivation, this article explores older people's perceptions of the local environment. Early findings are reported from a survey of older people (n=600) conducted in nine socially deprived neighbourhoods of three cities. The article addresses older people's views in relation to positive and negative aspects of their local environment and the degree to which people regard their neighbourhood as a good place in which to grow old. Three key themes are highlighted: older people's attachment to their neighbourhood, variation between areas, and the impact of place on the quality of older people's daily life.
• Summary: A recent summary of research findings concluded that social policy and practice should use older people's lives as the starting point to plan and evaluate services (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2004). Based on the findings of a small-scale qualitative study and related research, this article explores the strategies and ways of coping used by older people to manage changes and difficulties that accompany ageing.
• Findings: It is suggested that older people's strategies and ways of coping can be understood as efforts to sustain a sense of self in later life and a model of some key processes involved is presented. The empirical findings of the study are related to theoretical models of ageing and identity management. Attention is directed to the interaction between structural resources and constraints, dominant cultural norms and values, and older people's individual capacities for reflexivity and interpretation.
• Applications : It is argued that this understanding has significant implications for the planning and delivery of social work and social care services that aim to promote the well-being of older people. In particular, practitioners need to understand the meaning and significance that difficulties and different approaches to managing them have for individuals. Interventions should be sensitive to, and seek to support, older people's cognitive ways of coping, as well as their practical strategies.
Existing literature, which has emerged largely from Europe and Britain, suggests that the concepts of social exclusion and inclusion are fundamentally limited when accounting for ‘difference’. This paper extends this literature by considering the way in which a social exclusion/inclusion discourse has played out in a ‘white settler’ society where the ‘difference’ embodied by the highly ‘excluded’ indigenous population is a central concern for social policy. The paper argues that the goal of an ‘inclusive society’, which has framed New Zealand social policy since 1999, promotes an equal opportunity approach that sits in tension with the specific needs and rights of MØaori as indigenous peoples and partners in the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. The ambiguous consequences of this goal highlight the need for settler societies to develop policy that reflects their own socio-political circumstances, rather than simply adopt policy discourses that are popular internationally.
This paper reviews trends over the last two to three decades in the socio-economic divisions in Australia, focusing on their spatial dimensions. It provides empirical evidence that our society is dividing on multiple dimensions – including shifts in industry and occupational structure, income distribution, the incidence of poverty. And it demonstrates that the differentiations across space in socio-economic phenomena also have complex multiple dimensions, which are explained inadequately by a ‘city/bush’ dichotomy popularly espoused by politicians and reported in the media. Processes of globalisation, economic restructuring and employment shifts, and changing patterns of population movement are combining to create stark differentials between places both within the major cities as well as in regional Australia. As demonstrated by the recent One Nation phenomenon, voter backlash is strong, and it too has specific spatial characteristics.
This paper describes the ways in which older people contribute to their communities and families as informal volunteers. It challenges current ways of thinking that assign an economic value to the productive activities undertaken by older people. Using qualitative data from a study of older people resident in Queensland, Australia, the paper explores the ways that older people contribute to their families and to the community and the outcomes associated with these activities. Two specific themes emerged from the data: first, the ways in which older people contribute to strong inter-generational relations, and second, how they provide essential mutual support that permits many older people to remain living in the community. These contributions, while often small in themselves, are in aggregate critical both to family functioning and to the maintenance of sustainable and healthy communities. Many are reciprocal interactions that add value to the lives of individuals and offer positive social roles in later life, and they may be particularly important for those from minority cultural backgrounds or at risk of social isolation. The findings suggest that older people are integral to community and civil society and, therefore, that social policy should respond to the ageing of Australia's population and recognise the positive contributions of older people, rather than emphasising the costs of demographic change.
In this article, the author examines the context in which the promotion of late-life civic engagement has emerged and how the discourse around it affects and reflects meanings being constructed and experienced about aging; and contends that gerontologists must consider the possible consequences of the current framing and promotion of late-life civic engagement in order to best develop and support civic opportunities for those older adults who take a civic-engagement path, while also supporting and honoring other experiences of aging.
This article explores the discourse of social exclusion and its potential impact on social policy. The analysis suggests that in France, Britain, and the European Union at large, the growing political focus on social exclusion has helped to shift policy attention away from other forms of inequality, including income inequality. This logic and the reforms enacted in the name of social inclusion are compatible with moderate forms of economic liberalism distinct from Thatcherite neoliberalism. Theoretically, the article draws on the social science literature on the role of ideas to stress the possible consequences of the social exclusion discourse.
Spanish
Este artículo explora el discurso político de exclusión social y su impacto potencial en la política social. El análisis sugiere que en Francia, Gran Bretaña y la extensa Unión Europea, el creciente foco político en exclusión social ha ayudado a cambiar la atención política lejos de otras formas de desigualdad, incluyendo ingresos desiguales. Esta lógica y las reformas promulgadas en nombre de inclusión social son compatibles con formas moderadas de liberalismo económico distinto del neoliberalismo Thatcherite. En teoría, el artículo se basa en los estudios de ciencias sociales en cuanto al papel de ideas para enfatizar las posibles consecuencias del discurso de exclusión social.
French
Cet article étudie le discours politique de l'exclusion sociale et son impact potentiel sur la protection sociale. L'analyse suggère qu'en France, en Grande Bretagne et dans l'Union européenne en général, l'accent politique grandissant sur l'exclusion sociale a contribué à éloigner l'attention politique d'autres formes d'inégalité, y compris les inégalités de revenus. Cette logique et les réformes adoptées au nom de l'exclusion sociale sont compatibles avec des formes de libéralisme économique différentes du néolibéralisme thatchérien. Théoriquement, l'article s'appuie sur les travaux de science sociale traitant du rôle des idées pour mettre l'accent sur les conséquences possibles du discours sur l'exclusion sociale.
This article argues that in both policy and economic debates the specifically local experiences of older people living in deprived neighbourhoods have been ignored. It describes research undertaken in an area of material deprivation and low access to ‘social capital’, on the margins of Middlesbrough both geographically and socially. A health and lifestyle survey of older people in the area was supplemented by Community Futures Workshops at which residents discussed problems and solutions. Main concerns raised were a fear of crime and the need for better maintenance of the area, better transport and locally provided health services. Beyond this, residents spoke of a need for older people to be valued rather than relegated to the margins. Their experiences are contrasted with those of older people living in a materially advantaged neighbourhood to highlight the specific problems experienced as a product of social and geographical place.
The proportion of older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds is projected to increase significantly over the next decade, with the composition shifting from a mainly European base to include new source countries from Asia and Africa. This growth and complexity provides a range of challenges for practitioners and policy makers working in this field. The present paper draws on a multimethod scoping study designed to explore these challenges and identify practice responses. Data from a review of current literature, as well as from key informer interviews and a symposium held in Queensland, are reported in this paper and their compatibility with broader national and international studies discussed and noted. Findings highlight the particular challenges associated with service provision, developing appropriate models of aged care, and addressing social isolation. Conclusions focus on the need for a more rigorous research agenda to highlight and evaluate effective practice solutions; the need for a strengths-based approach in working with these communities, recognising the contribution made by community leaders, volunteers, and others; and the need to work in partnership to achieve ageing-well outcomes.
Productive ageing policy and programs emerged in Australia in the early 1990s, influenced both by international debate and proactive federal government leadership particularly in the area of economic and health planning for an ageing population. These economic and health frames have remained the dominant discourses surrounding productive ageing initiatives, driven both by the need to maintain growth and productivity in an ageing society and to restrain burgeoning health costs through more active preventative strategies. Social framings of productive ageing, from both the left and the right, have also been evident around ideas of mutual obligation, the building of social capital, and more recently, with a new government, around the concept of social inclusion. This paper explores the development of productive ageing policy and programs in Australia across the areas of employment/retirement, volunteering/civic engagement, care-giving, and lifelong learning. Program developments in each of these areas are briefly explored.
This paper explores social exclusion among older Europeans from ten different countries with three types of welfare regime: Nordic, Mediterranean and post-socialist. Data from the first round of the new European
Social
Survey are used to explore indicators of social exclusion. A measure of social exclusion and insecurity is constructed from indicators of: the regularity of meeting with friends and relatives, taking part in social activities, self-rated physical health and mental health, self-rated income, and the quality of the local area. The results confirm the findings of previous research that show a link between developed welfare regimes and low rates of social exclusion in old age. At the same time, more developed welfare regimes appear to deal less well with the effects of separation and divorce. The Mediterranean welfare regimes show distinctive signs of stress, which suggests that the supplementation or replacement of weakened immediate and extended family ties has not taken place. In all countries, a higher level of education appears to play a crucial role in reducing the chances of being insecure or socially excluded in old age.
Australia has one of the most diverse migrant populations in the world. This pattern of cultural diversity is also reflected in the older population, with increasing numbers of older people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The aim of the present review is to examine the evidence base related to the health and social needs and existing support systems for older Australians from CALD backgrounds. It is difficult to generalise the issues and challenges associated with these groups because of their heterogeneity, both between and within groups. However, their health and social needs may be particularly acute as a result of cultural and language barriers; their geographical location and the circumstances of migration, which impact on their financial circumstances as well as psycho-social health. Whilst there is a range of community and government stakeholders involved in addressing these issues, the evidence base for policy and practice is not well understood.
Warburton J, Jeppsson Grassman E. Variations in older people's social and productive ageing activities across different social welfare regimes
Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 180–191 © 2009 The Author, International Journal of Social Welfare © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.
This study explores voluntary association involvement by seniors using a six-regime model with Esping-Andersen's three worlds of welfare as a starting point. Current literature is then used to argue for the inclusion of three additional regime types. The model, with its six illustrative countries, is then used to compare type and level of voluntary association membership and volunteering by older people. The first set of findings is a descriptive account of the context of ageing and social welfare in the six countries and the relationship between this context and volunteering by older people. The second set of findings utilises a broad comparative dataset, the World Values Survey (2005–2006), to explore differences in voluntary association involvement more specifically. The analyses suggest that differences across regime types are explainable in terms of the social welfare context. These findings suggest a possible line of approach to understanding differences across countries.
Given that more people ‘permanently’ migrate today than in the past, migration has taken on a heightened profile internationally. Such mobility raises fundamental social policy questions of entitlement and (re)negotiation of caregiving obligations and arrangements. Social policy has traditionally approached problems and developed responses within the confines of the nation-state and faces difficulties in recognising and addressing issues arising from mobility. Migration contributes to family being ‘stretched’ beyond national boundaries to become dispersed, global or transnational families. This article focuses attention on one dimension of transnational living – older people as members of transnational families. The combination of increasing population mobility and the elongation of new post-retirement life-stages is resulting in a set of pressing social policy issues. It explores immigration, pension eligibility and portability, and social services and caregiving issues. To illustrate these issues the article draws on New Zealand's diverse transnational family forms and experience.
This paper examines the implications of welfare reform for the meaning of social citizenship in Australia. Australian welfare reform has been under way since the late 1980s, and reflects the themes of activity and participation that are shaping social policy in many advanced industrial nations. The paper suggests that Australian welfare reform is following a liberal trajectory of change which places a continuing emphasis on market and family as the preferred institutions for social support with a newly salient appeal to moral ideas about the responsibility of citizens to be self-sustaining. The paper argues that welfare is being transformed from a limited social right to support provided on condition, and from treating the claimant as a sovereign individual to a subject of paternalistic supervision. Together, these changes are redefining the meaning of equality in Australian social citizenship.
Against a political background of shifting societal expectations about the role of social security in terms of mutual obligation and social responsibility, both Australia and New Zealand have conducted major social policy reviews within the past two years. Two of the central themes of the McLure Report (Australia) and the Pathways to Opportunity Report (New Zealand) are social participation and opportunity creation. This paper focuses on these issues from several perspectives. An outline of the motivations for reform and the concepts guiding it is followed by a summary of the reform strategies identified in each report. After a discussion of the similarities and differences in the changes implemented since the two reviews, the conclusion points to some of the potential problems raised by the critics of the reform proposals.
In the late 20th and early 21st century, social exclusion has become something of a trope around which is pegged justifications for various reforms. The notion of social exclusion has found its way into the lexicon of all major global governance institutions. How has this happened, and what are its implications for scholars of contemporary welfare reforms? In this article, we consider the ‘rise and rise’ of the discourse of social exclusion, with particular reference to its development as a policy paradigm within the European Union. We note that its initial iteration was anchored in a functionalist discourse of social organisation but that this was quickly challenged both by post-structuralist and post-colonial perspectives and by research findings that undermined the view of mainstream institutions as fundamentally integrative and inclusive in nature. The debate about social exclusion, we suggest, is simultaneously a debate about the historical and social dynamics of European modernity.
Addressing the causes and consequences of social exclusion represents a key theme in European social policy, reflecting growing awareness of the social costs which arise when individuals, families and communities become cut off from wider society. Conceptually, however, social exclusion remains underexplored in gerontology. The article suggests that exclusion represents a useful means of exploring the situation of older people in different environmental settings. Social exclusion in old age is conceptualised as a multi-dimensional phenomenon comprising of: exclusion from material resources; exclusion from social relations; exclusion from civic activities; exclusion from basic services; and neighbourhood exclusion. Drawing on a survey of 600 people aged 60 and over in deprived neighbourhoods of three English cities, the article develops indicators to represent each dimension of exclusion and seeks to assess the nature of social exclusion faced by older people in deprived neighbourhoods. Results reveal a considerable proportion of older people experiencing social exclusion in at least one form. The sample fell into three categories: 33% were not excluded on any of the five domains; 31% experienced exclusion on a single domain; 36% were vulnerable to the cumulative impact of multiple forms of exclusion. Multiple social exclusion was significantly correlated with respondents ethnic origin, educational status, housing tenure, perceived health status and quality of life. It is concluded that social exclusion represents a useful means of depicting disadvantage experienced by older people living in deprived urban neighbourhoods, and that it would be useful to extend the analysis to other types of residential setting.
Given that most Australian states have gone further than most U.S. states in their age discrimination legislation, it is of interest to research the types and extent of age discrimination in the recruitment and selection process in a jurisdiction that prohibits all discrimination based on age (not just against those 40 years or over). Four studies examining different parts of the process and the perspectives of different players in the system were conducted. Each study and each methodology detected converging evidence of ongoing age discrimination, from the language used in job advertisements to messages delivered by recruitment consultants to self-reports of employers to the experiences of job applicants.
This paper reviews the literature on social inclusion and social capital to develop a framework to guide the selection of
items and measures for the forthcoming SA Department of Human Services Survey of Social Inclusion to be held in the region
of Northern Adelaide in South Australia. Northern Adelaide is a region with areas of high socio-economic disadvantage, characterized
by high unemployment and poverty. Survey respondents’ perceptions of social inclusion and social capital in Northern Adelaide
will be examined by developing indices, which address the theoretical schema discussed in this paper. Epistemological differences
between seminal theorists on social inclusion and social capital suggest the development of a broad suite of indices is required
to enable the collection of data of interest to researchers from differing theoretical perspectives. Data collected in the
survey will be mapped using Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies against locations within Northern Adelaide and
in relation to existing Australian Bureau of Statistics, Commonwealth and State Government databases on age, gender, relative
socio-economic disadvantage and other variables.
This paper examines the conditions under which individuals begin or do not begin making financial plans for their later years. The data are drawn from a sample of mid- and later-life individuals (n = 51) who participated in qualitative, life-history interviews. Participants identified three types of circumstances that acted as both catalysts and constraints to their planning: financial, personal and familial. Catalytic financial influences included employer programs and enrolment in retirement courses, while job loss and unforeseen expenses were viewed as constraints. Personal influences such as health and age, as well as familial transitions such as the death of a spouse, divorce, or remarriage served as both catalysts and constraints, depending on the individual. For example, divorce was viewed by some as a constraint, while others viewed it as a catalyst. Participants' locations in the social structure influenced the onset of financial preparation, however, subjective perceptions of life circumstances were also pivotal.
This qualitative study of local perceptions of policy goals and action in relation to aging reports 31 stakeholder interviews within 2 Australian communities exploring (a) the meaning of aging well; and (b) preferred policy actions to achieve positive aging outcomes. Findings suggest that community perceptions of aging well are broadly consistent with the goals of national and international policy frameworks in focusing on 3 dimensions--health, social engagement, and security. Further, participants believe that achievement of positive aging outcomes requires a mix of self-help, community action, and government intervention--particularly government support and encouragement for aging well initiatives.
Description:'Essential reading for practitioners, educators and researchers within the general field of social work with older people.' - From the foreword by Mark Lymbery, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Nottingham The reality of our ageing population means all social workers need to be confident in working with older people. Social workers are engaged in ongoing practice with older people in a variety of contexts, from hospitals, aged care assessment teams and mental health services to employment services, housing services and rehabilitation services.Older People, Ageing and Social Work draws on theoretical, research, policy and practice knowledge to inform contemporary practice with older people. Hughes and Heycox demonstrate that high level professional skills are required in this area as well as detailed knowledge of the issues affecting older people's lives. They argue that practitioners need to take into account the social and emotional needs of the older people they work with, as well as the practical and administrative aspects of their roles. They emphasise understanding the diversity of the older population and enabling older people to make the most of their strengths and capacities.
This paper reviews trends over the last two to three decades in the socio-economic divisions in Australia, focusing on their spatial dimensions. It provides empirical evidence that our society is dividing on multiple dimensions - including of poverty. And it demonstrates that the differentiations across space in socio-economic phenomena also have complex multiple dimensions, which are explained inadequately by a 'city/bush' dichotomy popularly espoused by politicians and reported in the media. Processes of globalisation, economic restructing and employment shifts, and changing patterns of population movement are combining to create stark differentials between places both within the major cities as well as in regional Australia. As demonstrated by the recent One Nation phenomenon, voter backlash is strong, and it too has specific spatial characteristics.
This paper presents the findings of a study of the support and service needs of older Chinese people in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia. There were two specific objectives: to ascertain the problems encountered by older Chinese-Australians in their daily lives and social activities; and to develop policy and service development recommendations, with a view to mitigating their problems, meeting their unmet needs, improving their quality of life, and enhancing their participation in Australian society. The study used multiple methods, including a literature review, focus group meetings, and a community survey. The findings indicate that older Chinese people, and particularly women, experience significant restrictions in their activity patterns, social isolation and loneliness. Their lack of proficiency in the English language, and the difficulties they have in accessing language-support and interpretation services, limit their autonomous mobility and make them heavily dependent on their adult children, not least for transport. Their physical and psychological wellbeing is affected further by strained relations with their adult children, and these are compounded by financial concerns. The implications of the findings for welfare policy and practice are discussed at the end of the paper.
Since the early 1980s Australian public policy has undergone the most major transformation since Federation. This transformation has been underwritten by two key principles: liberalism - the view that citizens are autonomous individual actors whose interests are best served when they are free from coercive government interventions into individual action; and marketisation - the belief that free markets are arenas which best enable individual autonomy and produce efficient economic outcomes. These principles define 'neoliberalism' or'hard liberalism'. After summarising the major policy changes identified with neoliberalism in Australia, the paper introduces a new research project that examines its impact on socioeconomic inequality, gender inequality and politics and culture. Inspection of relevant data indicates that there are important trends in inequality, public opinion and political behaviour that warrant this investigation.