Older People in Deprived Neighbourhoods: Social Exclusion and Quality of Life in Old Age T. Scharf, C. Phillipson, P. Kingston and A.E. Smith

Background The ‘social exclusion’ agenda Poverty and deprivation in old age The ‘quality of life’ agenda

Methodology Selection of research areas Survey of 600 people aged 60 and over Follow-up interviews with 130 people aged 60 and over

Older people and the urban environment Importance of neighbourhood as a source of self-identity Importance of neighbourhood for quality of life

Neighbourhood as a source of identity ‘Selective intensification of feelings about spaces may be far more than merely the coincidental outcome of lengthy residence in a single setting. It is postulated that it represents a universal strategy employed by older people to facilitate maintaining a sense of identity within a changing environment’ (Rowles, 1978: 200).

Deprived neighbourhoods and quality of life Loss of services and amenities Perceived vulnerability to crime Interaction with health problems

Conceptualising social exclusion Exclusion from material resources Exclusion from social relations Exclusion from civic activities Exclusion from basic services Neighbourhood exclusion

Exclusion from material resources: Poverty rates for older people in socially deprived areas and the UK as a whole (in %)

Exclusion from social relations: Prevalence and intensity of loneliness

Exclusion from civic activities: Proportion of people involved in activities

Exclusion from basic services: Proportion of people cutting back on services in the home in order to make ends meet

Neighbourhood exclusion: Expression of negative views about the neighbourhood

Experience of ‘multiple exclusion’: Three groups of older people The ‘included’ – those not excluded on any of the five domains (30% of respondents) The ‘vulnerable’ – those experiencing exclusion on a single domain (31% of respondents) The ‘excluded’ – those prone to the cumulative impact of multiple forms of exclusion (39% of respondents)

Conclusion: Implications for public policy  Need for ‘joined-up’ policies  ‘Regeneration for all’  Need to build on commitment of older people to their neighbourhoods