ABSTRACT

Social isolation among older people is a complex social problem and growing policy concern. This study investigated social isolation under the auspices of the Hamilton Senior Isolation Impact Plan, a government funded program in Canada. It situates the study of social isolation in a unique region of Ontario and involved 7 focus groups and 32 interviews with older people and stakeholders. Results outline how place and spatial relations can create and/or reinforce isolation; how addressing social isolation requires attention to the relationship between poverty, inequality and disadvantage; and how regional experiences of isolation may differ substantially from what is assumed, where diversity and the needs of particular sub-populations of older people are concerned. Findings highlight the need to broaden policy and practice efforts on social isolation to better include diverse groups of older people who may be poorly served by the agenda of connection alone.

摘要

老年人之间的社会隔离是一个复杂的社会问题，也是日益受到关注的政策问题。这项研究在加拿大政府资助的项目汉密尔顿高级隔离影响计划的主持下调查了社会隔离。它在安大略省的一个独特地区进行社会隔离研究，涉及 7 个焦点小组和 32 次对老年人和利益相关者的采访。结果概述了位置和空间关系如何创建和/或加强隔离；如何解决社会孤立需要关注贫困、不平等和不利条件之间的关系；以及区域的孤立经历如何与假设的情况大不相同，涉及多样性和老年人特定亚群的需求。