- 250 views
- 284 downloads
The Role of Community Completeness in Older Adults Experiences of Health and Wellbeing: A Photovoice Study
-
- Author / Creator
- Jackson, Marcus
-
This thesis examines the role of community completeness in the health and wellbeing of older adults. Community completeness is a concept commonly used in urban planning policies by cities, however utilizations and definitions vary between locations. As the older adult population in Canada and around the world grows, it is important to understand older adults’ neighbourhood experiences, especially in a time of aging in place policy often encompassing concepts of community completeness. The main objectives of the study were to 1) explore the experiences of older adults within their neighbourhood in the context of their health and wellbeing, and 2) to create a complete community framework that can be used to promote health and wellbeing. A photovoice methodology was utilized to explore the neighborhood-based experiences of participants living in Edmonton, Alberta. These experiences were then examined using Amartya Sen’s capability perspective. The thesis begins by examining the academic literature on the associations between the built environment and health and wellbeing. In addition, planning policies from four Canadian cities are also examined. Four main pathways linking the built environment to health and wellbeing of older adults are identified: neighbourhood character, greenspace, walkability, and foodscapes. Utilizing the capability approach, various affordances were identified to propose a complete communities framework that is centered on health and wellbeing. These pathways include explorations of built environment components, as well as individual experiences such as happiness or fear which can influence health and wellbeing.
-
- Subjects / Keywords
-
- Graduation date
- Fall 2020
-
- Type of Item
- Thesis
-
- Degree
- Master of Science
-
- License
- Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.