Older adults’ understandings of social inclusion: Views from a healthy ageing community program

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. Keywords: ethnography, social exclusion, social inclusion, social isolation, older adult