Policy and practise perspectives on older adult critical life‐course transitions and place in Ireland

Abstract

Major life transitions-such as ill-health, bereavement and relocation-can give rise to multifaceted forms of social exclusion for older people (Dannefer, 2003). This can result in subsequent and profound impacts for later life health and well-being. Rooted in complex sets of bio-psychosocial factors, these transitions often implicate individual-, community-and structural-level mechanisms that increase risks of disadvantage, impinging on physical, mental and social health outcomes (Baars et al., 2016;Settersten, 2018). With place increasingly evident as an orientating concept within older adult health and social care policy (Manthorpe et al., 2008), a focus on how older people relate to, are influenced by and connect with their local environments may offer new and important pathways to provide support during transitions. However, despite the rapid increase in age-friendly and community care programmes, there has been little consideration of