Making Government think differently - Keele University
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Making Government think differently

A team based at Keele University (led by Professor Tom Scharf) explored the experiences of older people living in some of England’s most disadvantaged urban communities to discover how far they were prone to, and the impact of, social exclusion on their quality of life and health. The study found that many people’s quality of life was reduced by their susceptibility to multiple forms of exclusion (poverty, social isolation, loneliness and the experience of crime). However, the research group also found that older people retained a strong commitment to neighbourhoods in which they had lived for most of their lives. The unique nature of the data, in particular the powerful accounts of older people’s daily experiences, has helped to shape opinion-leaders’ perceptions of the ageing of some of Britain’s most disadvantaged citizens; as well as informing the Economic & Social Research Council’s (ESRC) research agenda; and providing key data/policy recommendations for local and national government.

For further information on Social Policy research at Keele University, see Social Policy