Hostname: page-component-76c49bb84f-xk4dl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-07-05T08:29:46.463Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Planning for healthy ageing: how the use of third places contributes to the social health of older populations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2018

SARA ALIDOUST ,
CARYL BOSMAN  and
GORDON HOLDEN
SARA ALIDOUST*
Affiliation:
Cities Research Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
CARYL BOSMAN
Affiliation:
School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
GORDON HOLDEN
Affiliation:
Architecture, School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Sara Alidoust, Griffith School of Environment, Nathan Campus, Kessels Road, Nathan 4111, QLD, Australia E-mail: sara.alidoust@griffithuni.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on creating age-friendly cities to accommodate the changing needs of older people and to promote their overall health and wellbeing. This paper focuses on some of the urban planning implications related to maintaining the social health, as a main component of overall health and wellbeing, of older people. Specifically, we look at the role and accessibility of third places (popular public places where many people go to socialise) in relation to older people living in different neighbourhood built-form patterns, and how these factors impact on the formation of absent, weak and strong social ties. The data draw upon interviews with 54 older people living in different neighbourhood built-form patterns on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Our findings demonstrate the significant role third places have in affording older people opportunities to engage in the social lives of their local communities, thus contributing to their social health and overall wellbeing. This research supports previous studies relating to the accessibility of amenities by re-emphasising the importance of planning for the provision of third places that are conveniently located and easily accessible by older people. The paper concludes by arguing for the planning of transport and third-place interventions in Australia's sprawling suburban landscapes to allow older people more opportunities to be socially connected.

Keywords

urban planningaccessibilitythird placesocial lifeneighbourhoodageing population

Information

Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 39 , Issue 7 , July 2019 , pp. 1459 - 1484
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Alidoust, S. and Bosman, C. 2015. Planning for an ageing population: links between social health, neighbourhood environment and the elderly. Australian Planner, 52, 3, 177–86.Google Scholar
Alidoust, S. and Bosman, C. 2016. Boomer planning: the production of age-friendly cities. Built Environment, 42, 1, 107–19.Google Scholar
Alidoust, S., Bosman, C. and Holden, G. 2015. Socially healthy ageing: the importance of third places, soft edges and walkable neighbourhoods. Paper presented at the State of Australian Cities Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, 9–11 December 2015.Google Scholar
Alidoust, S., Holden, G. and Bosman, C. 2014. Urban environment and social health of the elderly: a critical discussion on physical, social and policy environments. Athens Journal of Health, 1, 3, 3–14.Google Scholar
Alsnih, R. and Hensher, D. A. 2003. The mobility and accessibility expectations of seniors in an aging population. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 37, 10, 903–16.Google Scholar
Andrews, G. J., Cutchin, M., McCracken, K., Phillips, D. R. and Wiles, J. 2007. Geographical gerontology: the constitution of a discipline. Social Science & Medicine, 65, 1, 151–68.Google Scholar
Andrews, G. J., Kearns, R. A., Kontos, P. and Wilson, V. 2006. ‘Their finest hour’: older people, oral histories, and the historical geography of social life. Social & Cultural Geography, 7, 2, 153–77.Google Scholar
Andrews, G. J., Milligan, C., Phillips, D. R. and Skinner, M. W. 2009. Geographical gerontology: mapping a disciplinary intersection. Geography Compass, 3, 5, 1641–59.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2011. 2011 Census Quickstats. ABS, Canberra.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2013. Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2013. ABS Cat. No. 3235.0, ABS, Canberra.Google Scholar
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2014. Australian Historical Population Statistics, 2014. ABS Cat. No. 3105.0.65.001, ABS, Canberra.Google Scholar
Australian Local Government Association 2006. Age-friendly Built Environments: Opportunities for Local Government. Australian Local Government Association, Deakin, Australia.Google Scholar
Banister, D. and Bowling, A. 2004. Quality of life for the elderly: the transport dimension. Transport Policy, 11, 2, 105–15.Google Scholar
Berg, B. L. and Lune, H. 2004. Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Pearson, Boston.Google Scholar
Brown, W. 2003. Promoting Healthy Ageing in Australia. Department of Education, Science and Training, Canberra.Google Scholar
Cagney, K. A., Browning, C. R. and Wen, M. 2005. Racial disparities in self-rated health at older ages: what difference does the neighborhood make? Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 60B, 4, S181–90.Google Scholar
Cheang, M. 2002. Older adults’ frequent visits to a fast-food restaurant: nonobligatory social interaction and the significance of play in a ‘third place’. Journal of Aging Studies, 16, 3, 303–21.Google Scholar
Cheshire, L., Walters, P. and Wickes, R. 2010. Privatisation, security and community: how master planned estates are changing suburban Australia. Urban Policy and Research, 28, 4, 359–73.Google Scholar
Chihuri, S., Mielenz, T. J., DiMaggio, C. J., Betz, M. E., DiGuiseppi, C., Jones, V. C. and Li, G. 2016. Driving cessation and health outcomes in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 64, 2, 332–41.Google Scholar
Collia, D. V., Sharp, J. and Giesbrecht, L. 2003. The 2001 national household travel survey: a look into the travel patterns of older Americans. Journal of Safety Research, 34, 4, 461–70.Google Scholar
Cornwell, E. Y. and Waite, L. J. 2009. Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and health among older adults. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 50, 1, 31–48.Google Scholar
Creswell, J. W. and Clark, V. L. P. 2007. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. Sage, Thousand Oaks, California.Google Scholar
Cutchin, M. P. 2009. Geographical Gerontology: New Contributions and Spaces for Development. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Davey, J. A. 2007. Older people and transport: coping without a car. Ageing & Society, 27, 1, 49–65.Google Scholar
Dedekorkut-Howes, A. and Bosman, C. 2015. The Gold Coast: Australia's playground? Cities, 42, part A, 70–84.Google Scholar
García, E. L., Banegas, J., Perez-Regadera, A. G., Cabrera, R. H. and Rodriguez-Artalejo, F. 2005. Social network and health-related quality of life in older adults: a population-based study in Spain. Quality of Life Research, 14, 2, 511–20.Google Scholar
Golob, T. F. and Hensher, D. A. 2007. The trip chaining activity of Sydney residents: a cross-section assessment by age group with a focus on seniors. Journal of Transport Geography, 15, 4, 298–312.Google Scholar
Granovetter, M. 1973. The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78, 6, 1360–80.Google Scholar
Granovetter, M. 1983. The strength of weak ties: a network theory revisited. Sociological Theory, 1, 201–33.Google Scholar
Greenblatt, H. N. 1976. Measurement of Social Well-being in a General Population Survey. California State Department of Health, Berkeley, California.Google Scholar
Harper, S. and Laws, G. 1995. Rethinking the geography of ageing. Progress in Human Geography, 19, 2, 199–221.Google Scholar
Henning, C. and Lieberg, M. 1996. Strong ties or weak ties? Neighbourhood networks in a new perspective. Scandinavian Housing and Planning Research, 13, 1, 3–26.Google Scholar
Hickman, P. 2013. ‘Third places’ and social interaction in deprived neighbourhoods in Great Britain. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 28, 2, 221–36.Google Scholar
Hugo, G. 2003. Australia's ageing population: some challenges for planners. Australian Planner, 40, 2, 109–18.Google Scholar
Jerrome, D. 1983, Lonely women in a friendship club. British journal of Guidance and Counselling, 11, 1, 10–20.Google Scholar
Judd, B., Olsberg, D., Quinn, J., Groenhart, L. and Demirbilek, O. 2010, Dwelling, Land and Neighbourhood Use by Older Home Owners. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Kavanaugh, A. L., Reese, D. D., Carroll, J. M. and Rosson, M. B. 2005. Weak ties in networked communities. The Information Society, 21, 2, 119–31.Google Scholar
Keyes, C. L. M. 1998. Social well-being. Social Psychology Quarterly, 61, 2, 121–40.Google Scholar
Kobetz, E., Daniel, M. and Earp, J. 2003. Neighborhood poverty and self-reported health among low-income, rural women, 50 years and older. Health & Place, 9, 3, 263–71.Google Scholar
Larson, J. S. 1993. The measurement of social well-being. Social Indicators Research, 28, 3, 285–96.Google Scholar
Lawson, K. 2004. Libraries in the USA as traditional and virtual ‘third places’. New Library World, 105, 3/4, 125–30.Google Scholar
Lefebvre, H. 1991. The Production of Space. Blackwell, Oxford.Google Scholar
Levasseur, M., Gauvin, L., Richard, L., Kestens, Y., Daniel, M. and Payette, H. 2011. Associations between perceived proximity to neighborhood resources, disability, and social participation among community-dwelling older adults: results from the VoisiNuAge study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 92, 12, 1979–86.Google Scholar
Litman, T. 2003. Measuring transportation: traffic, mobility, and accessibility. ITE Journal, 73, 10, 28–32.Google Scholar
Marottoli, R. A., De Leon, C. F. M., Glass, T. A., Williams, C. S., Cooney, L. M. and Berkman, L. F. 2000. Consequences of driving cessation: decreased out-of-home activity levels. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 55B, 6, S334–40.Google Scholar
Marottoli, R. A., Mendes de Leon, C. F., Glass, T. A., Williams, C. S., Cooney, L. M., Berkman, L. F. and Tinetti, M. E. 1997. Driving cessation and increased depressive symptoms: prospective evidence from the New Haven EPESE. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 45, 2, 202–6.Google Scholar
Matthews, H., Limb, M. and Taylor, M. 2000. The street as a third space. In Holloway, S. L. and Valentine, G. (eds), Children's Geographies: Playing, Living, Learning. Routledge, London, 54–68.Google Scholar
Oldenburg, R. 1989. The Great Good Place: Cafés, Coffee Shops, Community Centers, Beauty Parlors, General Stores, Bars, Hangouts, and How They Get You Through the Day. Paragon House, New York.Google Scholar
Oldenburg, R. 1997. Our vanishing ‘third places’. Planning Commissioners, 25, 6–10.Google Scholar
Oxley, J. and Fildes, B. 2000. Retiring from driving: the process of reduction and cessation of driving and the role of a handbook to assist in this process. In Proceeding of the Older Road User Safety Symposium, 26 November 2000, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q), Brisbane, Australia, CARRS, Brisbane.Google Scholar
Phillips, D. R., Siu, O., Yeh, A. G. and Cheng, K. H. C. 2005. Ageing and the urban environment. In Andrews, G. J. and Phillips, D. R. (eds), Ageing and Place: Perspectives, Policy, Practice. Routledge, London, 147–63.Google Scholar
Punch, K. F. 2013. Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Sage, Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Renne, K. S. 1974. Measurement of social health in a general population survey. Social Science Research, 3, 1, 25–44.Google Scholar
Richard, L., Gauvin, L., Gosselin, C. and Laforest, S. 2009. Staying connected: neighbourhood correlates of social participation among older adults living in an urban environment in Montreal, Quebec. Health Promotion International, 24, 1, 46–57.Google Scholar
Rosenbaum, M. S. 2006. Exploring the social supportive role of third places in consumers’ lives. Journal of Service Research, 9, 1, 59–72.Google Scholar
Rosenbaum, S., Ward, J., Walker, B. A. and Ostrom, A. L. 2007. A cup of coffee with a dash of love: an investigation of commercial social support and third-place attachment. Journal of Service Research, 10, 1, 43–59.Google Scholar
Rowles, G. D. 1978. Prisoners of Space: Exploring the Geographical Experience of Older People. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado.Google Scholar
Schmöcker, J., Quddus, M. A., Noland, R. B. and Bell, M. G. 2008. Mode choice of older and disabled people: a case study of shopping trips in London. Journal of Transport Geography, 16, 4, 257–67.Google Scholar
Schwanen, T., Dijst, M. and Dieleman, F. M. 2001. Leisure trips of senior citizens: determinants of modal choice. Tijdschrift Voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 92, 3, 347–60.Google Scholar
Skinner, M. W., Cloutier, D. and Andrews, G. J. 2015. Geographies of ageing: progress and possibilities after two decades of change. Progress in Human Geography, 39, 6, 776–99.Google Scholar
Skyepics Aerial Photography 2016. Gold Coast Aerial Photos. Available online at https://www.skyepicsaerialphotography.com.au/browse/australia/queensland/gold-coast [Accessed 21 February 2016].Google Scholar
Soja, E. W. 1996. Thirdspace: Journeys to Los Angeles and Other Real-and-imagined Places. Blackwell, Malden, Massachusetts.Google Scholar
Stevens, N. 2001. Combating loneliness: a friendship enrichment programme for older women. Ageing and Society, 21, 2, 183–202.Google Scholar
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2014. World Urbanization Prospects: The 2014 Revision. United Nations, New York.Google Scholar
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division 2015. World Population Ageing. United Nations, New York.Google Scholar
Victoria Transport Policy Institute 2014. Online TDM Encyclopedia. Available online at http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm84.htm [Accessed 12 July 2014].Google Scholar
World Health Organization (WHO) 1948. Preamble to the Constitution of the WHO as Adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19–22 June 1946. WHO, Geneva.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (WHO) 2007. Global Age-friendly Cities: A Guide. WHO, Geneva.Google Scholar
Yu, R. P., Mccammon, R. J., Ellison, N. B. and Langa, K. M. 2016. The relationships that matter: social network site use and social wellbeing among older adults in the United States of America. Ageing & Society, 36, 1826–52.Google Scholar