Ageing and social exclusion in rural communities

Abstract This chapter discusses the concept of social exclusion as a way to explore the issues around disadvantage faced by older people in rural communities. By focusing on social exclusion, the varied and often hidden nature of disadvantage that is experienced by older rural residents in many Western societies emerges. The discussion also uses findings from a qualitative study to examine the accounts of individuals on exclusion and explore the lifecourse influences on exclusion and assess the impacts of exclusion on quality of life. The chapter ends by explaining the distinctive features of rural older people's social exclusion and suggests some ways in which rural policy might service to reduce such exclusion.