The effect of transformation on the well-being of older people from the aspect of social relations: results from a field study carried out in two urban renewal districts

Abstract

This small scale study focuses on the impact of urban renewal on the well-being of older adults from the aspect of social relations in two shanty town districts of Ankara, Turkey. The study adopted an ecological perspective based upon the tradition of environmental gerontology which attempts to understand how the physical environment built influences the lives of older adults. The study utilized semi-structured interviews involving 14 Turkish adults 60 years of age and over. This ethnographic fieldwork research aimed to better understand how transitions in living environments, either through adaptations to existing residential locations or through relocations to new environmental settings influenced the older adult’s wellbeing. The study found that the transition to new housing arrangements resulted in reduced level of social networks and on the contrary closer relations with family members living at the same apartments. While the findings of the study cannot be generalized they represent an important step in flagging a need for more detailed research due to the rapid urban renewal projects now underway in Turkey. The study concludes with a call for the adoption of an “age friendly city” approach to urban renewal. 

Keywords

• Aging,environmental gerontology,urban renewal,well-being

References

1. Baum F. (2002) The new public health. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.