| dc.description.abstract | Social exclusion of elderly populations is a well-known phenomenon in many countries
across Europe (Kneale 2012; Masa, Anja, and Rakar,2013). When considered in relation to
the aging population of the United Kingdom, this phenomenon presents a contemporary
challenge for sociologists, in regards to detailing and understanding the means by which an
elderly individual might fall out of society. This research explores the impact of social
outreach programs, in terms how concerted efforts of social inclusion in and around
Edinburgh have engaged with excluded elderly individuals and reshaped various aspects of
their lives. This study interviewed six participants at the outreach charity, LifeCare, on how
the program had impacted on a number of different aspects of their lives, focusing on five
themes in particular: independence, family, widowhood, motivation and selfrepresentation.
The results indicated that the program was influential in terms of re
engaging the individuals, but also instilling a sense of belonging, role or purpose. | |
