Smit, Matthijs (2021) Living alongside students in old age: the influence of studentification on older adults’ place attachment and wellbeing. Master thesis.
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Abstract
Ageing in place refers to the idea that older adults remain more independent by and benefit from ageing in a familiar environment. Through years of residence, older adults have developed an intricate attachment to both their home and the neighbourhood. Moreover, older adults maintain their mobility through familiarity with the environment and benefit from informal support provided by the community. However, urban change processes such as studentification can challenge these assumed benefits of ageing in place. Therefore, by building on in-depth interviews with nine older adults residing in a studentified neighbourhood in Groningen, this study aims to answer the question: how does studentification influence older adults’ place attachment and wellbeing in the Schildersbuurt in Groningen? The results show that studentification manifests itself in a physical and social deterioration of the neighbourhood. In turn, this negatively influences older adults’ emotional and functional attachment to the Schildersbuurt. Moreover, their mental wellbeing is impacted due to stress, frustration, anxiety, insecurity and insomnia. To cope with these negative impacts, older adults employ both accommodative and assimilative coping strategies. Finally, it is argued that educational institutions and the municipality of Groningen should be more assertive in finding durable solutions for studentification-related issues in Groningen.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Degree programme: | Cultural Geography |
| Supervisor: | Boumans, B.M. |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Jul 2021 06:28 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Jul 2021 06:28 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3551 |
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