Exploring the role of communication in the aging in place experience: A quasi-ethnographic account of a local community

ABSTRACT

Aging in place (AIP), or older adults' ability to remain in their homes and communities as they age, is an important social issue given the growing aging population. Communication is a central component of this process, yet little is known about how communicative resources are used by residents to co-construct community as they age. In order to address this topic, a quasi-ethnographic study of a local neighborhood was completed using communication infrastructure theory (CIT). Three themes emerged from the data: (1) shifting communication infrastructure, (2) shifting identities, and (3) shifting priorities of the community and its members. These findings inform theoretical and practical implications related to the built environment and organizational-resident communication that facilitates the AIP experience.

KEYWORDS:

• Aging in place
• aging in community
• communication infrastructure theory
• quasi-ethnography

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the editor and the reviewers for their helpful comments and guidance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributor

Lindsey B. Anderson (Ph.D., Purdue University) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr Anderson's research examines the intersections of communication and age in the workplace. Specific areas of interest include intergenerational interactions at work, organizational portrayals of age/aging, and retirement.

Notes

1 All names and places in this paper are pseudonyms.

2 The term “aging in community” has been suggested as an alternative to “aging in place” since it better situates the process within a larger context. However, aging in place is still the dominant label.

Additional information

Funding

This research project was supported, in part, through funding provided by the University of Maryland, College of Arts and Humanities DRIF Seed Grant Award.