S. Abbott et al., Social and democratic participation in residential settings for older people: realities and aspirations, AGEING SOC, 20, 2000, pp. 327-340
This paper explores some of the experiences of older people living in resid
ential settings (sheltered, very sheltered housing and residential care), i
n the context of theories of participation, consumerism and citizenship. It
draws on material from personal interviews undertaken with over 100 older
people in England and Wares, and also from discussions with staff. Two-thir
ds of respondents were aged over 85. A significant minority of residents ex
pressed some concerns about the routines of life, such as meals and social
contact. Staff expectations of social participation were often unrealistic:
for many residents, social contact was more a matter of adjustment than of
friendship. Residents did not participate in deciding how the residential
settings where they lived should be organised and managed, except for helpi
ng with simple domestic tasks. There is a need to change both attitudes and
practice to enable older people to participate more fully in these setting
s.