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<p>Accessible environments may facilitate age-friendly communities that promote health and community participation among older adults. Senior centres are one community resource that offer diverse services for older adults to support their physical and social well-being. However, little research has examined senior centre accessibility. This study interviews six older adults (<i>M</i> = 72 years) about their perceptions of accessibility at a senior centre. Thematic analysis yields two themes, <i>ageing identity</i> and <i>barrier dismissal</i>, which contribute to an overarching theme: <i>barrier normalization</i>. Beliefs about ageing and value of the senior centre may lead participants to normalize inaccessibility as part of ageing or a minor inconvenience. This perpetuates ideologies suggesting barriers are a personal problem, while minimizing the role environmental factors play in facilitating health and participation. Accessibility is a key characteristic for developing age-friendly communities that support healthy, active living among older adults. Barrier normalization may introduce challenges to reducing environmental factors and, subsequently, achieving sustainable, age-friendly communities.</p>

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Barrier Normalization Among Older Adults’ Perceptions of Senior Centre Accessibility

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年2月3日

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  • Fallon R. Mitchell,
  • Nadia R. Azar,
  • Veronika Mogyorody,
  • Paula M. van Wyk

摘要

Accessible environments may facilitate age-friendly communities that promote health and community participation among older adults. Senior centres are one community resource that offer diverse services for older adults to support their physical and social well-being. However, little research has examined senior centre accessibility. This study interviews six older adults (M = 72 years) about their perceptions of accessibility at a senior centre. Thematic analysis yields two themes, ageing identity and barrier dismissal, which contribute to an overarching theme: barrier normalization. Beliefs about ageing and value of the senior centre may lead participants to normalize inaccessibility as part of ageing or a minor inconvenience. This perpetuates ideologies suggesting barriers are a personal problem, while minimizing the role environmental factors play in facilitating health and participation. Accessibility is a key characteristic for developing age-friendly communities that support healthy, active living among older adults. Barrier normalization may introduce challenges to reducing environmental factors and, subsequently, achieving sustainable, age-friendly communities.