Social Exclusion and Older People: exploring the connections

Abstract

The concept of social exclusion represents a key theme in<br/>current social policy debates in the United Kingdom. This reflects not only<br/>the deepening of social inequalities in Britain over recent decades, but also<br/>a growing marginalisation of particular social groups and areas. While<br/>poverty and income inequality continue to be important elements of the<br/>social exclusion debate, a central concern of this debate refers to loss of<br/>access to important life chances, especially those that connect individuals<br/>to the mainstream of society. However, policy initiatives on social exclusion<br/>have tended, for a combination of economic and political reasons, to focus<br/>on groups such as children, young families and the unemployed. Ways in<br/>which social exclusion may affect older people have largely been neglected.<br/>This article seeks to generate a better understanding of the dimensions of<br/>social exclusion relevant to older people. Following a discussion of existing<br/>approaches to exclusion, three key themes are developed in greater detail.<br/>These relate, first, to issues concerning participation and integration beyond<br/>the labour market; second, to aspects of spatial segregation; and third, to<br/>exclusion as a form of institutional disengagement. These ideas are explored<br/>further with reference to empirical evidence drawn from group discussions<br/>with older people living in socially deprived neighbourhoods in three<br/>English cities.