Introduction

This chapter examines how the findings gained from researching ‘place and ageing’ in deprived neighbourhoods build on and progress our knowledge in the field of environmental gerontology. This chapter brings together and summarises the findings from 26 interviews in Manchester and 26 interviews in Vancouver – as expressed through eight case studies, 44 short biographies (Appendices A and B) and three participants’ photographs and descriptive text. It proposes a reconceptualisation of factors important in the person–environment relationship; such as the consideration of temporal dimensions (for example, past, present and future) and intervening variables (for example, such as religion and spirituality, and lifecourse). The chapter also explores issues around comparative research, factors associated with ‘place and ageing’, outcome variables (for example, quality of life and identity), and methodological and analytical aspects of the research. The final section summarises the study's contribution to the advancement of knowledge on place and ageing.

Cross-national research – empirical findings

The strength and uniqueness of this study is, in part, based on the comparative analysis of older people living in deprived urban neighbourhoods in England and Canada. Although there has been a growth in comparative research in recent years, as illustrated and discussed in Chapter One, there remains a paucity of comparative research within the environmental gerontology literature. Added to this, there is a lack of research within England and Canada investigating concepts of place and ageing, particularly in deprived urban neighbourhoods. Therefore, this research is in the unique position of being able to add to scientific knowledge not only in general, but also cross-nationally and within each country.

Findings from 26 interviews in Manchester and 26 in Vancouver were compared cross-nationally in relation to three factors. These were:

• • environmental categories – comfort, management and distress;

• • factors underlying place and ageing;

• • the relationship between place and ageing and well-being.

Analysis of the interviews across these three factors reveals significant similarity of findings within and across countries. Findings revealed similar factors underlying older people's experience of place and ageing, and in the relationship between place and ageing and reports of well-being (that is, quality of life and identity). Each of these factors will be discussed later.