Mobility Boundaries Between Home, Community, and Beyond: Experiences of Exceptionally Old Adults Living in Eastern Canada

Lynne Gouliquer; Carmen Poulin; Maryani Lesmana

doi:10.18778/1733-8077.11.3.08

Authors

Lynne Gouliquer St. Thomas University, Canada
Carmen Poulin University of New Brunswick, Canada
Maryani Lesmana University of New Brunswick, Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.11.3.08

Keywords:

Mobility, Ageing, Exceptionally Old, Public Transportation, Neoliberalism

Abstract

Mobility for older people is linked to various meaningful and celebrated ways of ageing, such as maintaining independence, community participation, and quality of life (Metz 2000). In this paper, we examine the lives of people aged 90 and over as they encounter mobility challenges in the face of a particularly neoliberal socio-economic political context. Fifteen Canadians, living independently, were interviewed using the Psycho-Social Ethnography of the Commonplace (P-SEC) methodology. They shared their experiences with managing physical and community-related mobility issues. The analysis reveals how the current public transportation system complicates the lives of the exceptionally old, and sheds light on the ways in which this population makes sense of and deals with these complications. With the goals of reducing social boundaries and enhancing community mobility of older adults, based on the findings, we offer social policy recommendations.

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Author Biographies

Lynne Gouliquer, St. Thomas University, Canada

Dr. Lynne Gouliquer is a part-time faculty member and an adjunct professor at St. Thomas University, Canada. She conducts research on marginalization (e.g., 90+ year older adults, seniors living in rural contexts, female firefighters, lesbian and gay soldiers). She recently completed a Banting Post-Doctoral Program at ACQRA. She also is a retired Canadian soldier.

Carmen Poulin, University of New Brunswick, Canada

Dr. Carmen Poulin is a professor in Psychology and Gender and Women Studies at the University of New Brunswick, Canada. Her main research focus is on the psychological impact of institutional and social practices on marginalized groups, particularly women working in male-dominated institutions. She is also interested in sexualities, women and reproduction, and the role of women in the history of psychology.

Maryani Lesmana, University of New Brunswick, Canada

Maryani Lesmana is an MA/PhD student in Social Psychology at the University of New Brunswick, Canada. Her research interests lie in disadvantaged populations, such as older people and visible minorities. Her present focus is on psychosocial dynamics (self-perception, relationships with others) and institutions (schools, government agencies) in the lives of visible minority Canadians, and how these influence their attitudes and well-being.

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