Theorizing "Place" in Aging in Place: The Need for Territorial and Relational Perspectives.

This paper argues for a greater theorization of "place" within aging-in-place research. It extends calls for a relational conceptualization of place by demonstrating the need for aging-in-place researchers to also pay greater attention to territorial aspects of place. This complementary understanding will help establish a new spatial grammar within aging-in-place research, that not only would improve conceptual clarity to aging in place, but would also support a more critical engagement of aging in place in questions of inequality. The paper demonstrates this through a discussion of 2 forms of inequality pertinent to older people: the uneven capacity of places to support older people and experiences of social exclusion in relation to place attachment for older people from marginalized groups.

Locked down by inequality: Older people and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper develops the argument that post-COVID-19 recovery strategies need to focus on building back fairer cities and communities, and that this requires a strong embedding of 'age-friendly' principles to support marginalised groups of older people, especially those living in deprived urban neighbourhoods, trapped in poor quality housing. It shows that older people living in such areas are likely to experience a 'double lockdown' as a result of restrictions imposed by social distancing combined with the intensification of social and spatial inequalities. This argument is presented as follows: first, the paper examines the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on older people, highlighting how the pandemic is both creating new and reinforcing existing inequalities in ageing along the lines of gender, class, ethnicity, race, ability and sexuality. Second, the paper explores the role of spatial inequalities in the context of COVID-19, highlighting how the pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on deprived urban areas already affected by cuts to public services, the loss of social infrastructure and pressures on the voluntary sector. Finally, the paper examines how interrelated social inequalities at both the individual and spatial level are affecting the lives of older people living in deprived urban neighbourhoods during the pandemic. The paper concludes by developing six principles for 'age-friendly' community recovery planning aimed at maintaining and improving the quality of life and wellbeing of older residents in the post-pandemic city.

COVID-19, Inequality and Older People: Developing Community-Centred Interventions.

This paper considers the basis for a 'community-centred' response to COVID-19. It highlights the pressures on communities weakened by austerity, growing inequalities, and cuts to social infrastructure. This paper examines the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on low-income communities, whilst highlighting the extent to which they have been excluded from debates about policies to limit the spread of COVID-19. This paper examines four approaches to assist the inclusion of neighbourhoods in strategies to tackle the pandemic: promoting community participation; recruiting advocates for those who are isolated; creating a national initiative for supporting community-centred activity; and developing policies for the long-term. This paper concludes with questions which society and communities will need to address given the potential continuation of measures to promote physical distancing.

Older People Living Well Beyond Cancer: The Relationship Between Emotional Support and Quality of Life.

Objective: To investigate the influence of emotional support on the quality of life (QoL) of older cancer survivors. Method: We use data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing to assess the relationship between perceived emotional support and QoL, comparing people who were cancer survivors (n = 533) to people without cancer (n = 8,203). Results: Most people reported high emotional support and had good QoL (M = 42.57, scale = 0-57). However, linear regression modeling showed cancer survivors had on average slightly lower QoL (-2.10 SE = 0.82). Those who reported having low support reported much poorer QoL; this relationship was similar for both cancer survivors and people without cancer. Discussion: The impact of low emotional support on QoL compounds with the independent detrimental effect of being a cancer survivor. Interventions that increase emotional support are likely to improve QoL for cancer survivors.