Ageing in place: a social infrastructure perspective

Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to explore how a social infrastructure perspective can enhance research on ageing in place.

Design/methodology/approach:
Conceptual paper.

Findings:
The paper suggests that a social infrastructure perspective can enhance ageing in place research by advancing more critical questions about where and for whom ageing in place occurs.

Originality:
While a wealth of research exists on the importance of neighbourhood connections for ageing in place, less attention has been paid to the nuances of where these connections are formed or the various types of sociality that are important for different groups of older people. This paper proposes that a social infrastructure perspective can help broaden the focus of ageing in place research beyond the usual sites of structured and organised neighbourhood activities, to include the everyday and often overlooked places of social connection. These spaces are important for the development of weak ties and can also help draw attention to the social and spatial inequalities of ageing in place.