Keeping isolation and loneliness at bay
How community centres can support belonging as we age
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21729706 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Darla Fortune (0000-0001-8323-2840, Concordia University, corresponding author), Brittany Butler (0000-0002-3559-2160, Concordia University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-24 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-02 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Leisure/Loisir (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1492-7713 • E-ISSN: 2151-2221 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14927713.2023.2271949 |
| OpenAlex | W4387952601 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 34 |
Experiencing a sense of belonging is helpful for warding off loneliness and social isolation. With social isolation and loneliness among older adults increasingly recognized as a societal concern, it is important to understand the conditions that enhance belonging. The purpose of this paper is to share findings of a study that examined the role of a community centre in contributing to belonging for older adults. Forty-nine community centre members participated in a focus group or individual interview that explored their personal meanings and experiences of belonging. Findings suggest the community centre supports belonging by creating a welcoming environment, offering opportunities for meaningful involvement, and offering leisure programmes and services that meet diverse needs and interests. This paper responds to calls for research highlighting the benefits of community centres for older adults by suggesting their prospective benefit lies in their efforts to become spaces of belonging
Aging in place · Focus group · Loneliness · Political science · Psychiatry · Public relations · Sense of community · Social isolation · Social support · Sociology · Aging and Gerontology Research · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Migration, Aging, and Tourism Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology · Gerontology
Sense of belonging
Conceptualizing belonging
Thematic Analysis
The art hive as a ‘frame of belonging’ for older adults
Impact of Senior Center Friendships on Aging Women Who Live Alone
Social spaces for seniors
Volunteering and Wellbeing Among Ageing Adults
Natural neighborhood networks — Important social networks in the lives of older adults aging in place
Senior centers in the era of the “Third Age
Conflicts, friendship cliques and territorial displays in senior center environments
Fostering self-determination and sense of belonging through leisure education
Perceptions of Power Within a Membership-based Seniors' Community Center
All the Lonely People
Perceptions of Leisure by Older Adults Who Attend Senior Centers
An Exploration of Older Men's Social Lives and Well-Being in the Context of a Coffee Group
Can Senior Centres be Contexts for Aging in Third Places
Examining Layers of Community in Leisure Contexts
Searching for Belonging - An Analytical Framework
Ageing, Leisure, and Social Connectedness
Sense of Community Belonging and Health in Canada
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |