How does living in a rural or coastal area impact our ability to age healthily?

By Niamh O’Kane from the Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast

Queen’s University Belfast has been leading research to understand how the environment in which we live causes ill-health and cognitive decline among our rapidly ageing population as part of the SPACE project (Supportive Environments for Physical and Social Activity, Healthy Ageing and Cognitive Health). Environmental factors such as air quality, green space, congestion, noise, and other pollutants can contribute to poorer health outcomes, especially as we age. Often concentrated in areas of deprivation, these factors, as well as a range of social factors, can widen health inequalities too. We know that the causes are complex, and the solutions are even more complex.

As part of the SPACE research project, Queen’s University Belfast worked in partnership with Age NI and The Paul Hogarth Company to better understand the challenges and solutions to healthy ageing in rural and coastal environments. This work was in direct response to the Chief Medical Officer for England’s 2023 annual report about health in an ageing society, which highlighted that rural and coastal areas will see faster growing numbers of older people. Yet, there are many challenges to ageing healthily in these settings.

As part of our study, we asked older people in rural and coastal areas of Northern Ireland, along with relevant support organisations, to tell us what helps people to age healthily in their area and what challenges they encounter. Five key themes were identified:

1. Many older people in rural and coastal areas are faced with difficulties in transport and travel, with limitations on their ability to get from point A to point B.
2. Poor access to health and social care services was recognised as an issue for older people, including difficulties in arranging local appointments and accessing those further away.
3. The value and benefits of locally based groups and activities for healthy ageing, many of which are organised, delivered or facilitated by community and voluntary groups, and public sector organisations with a focus on ageing well.
4. The older people involved appreciated the beauty of the rural and coastal areas they live in, but also suggested the design and planning of public spaces worked against older people’s ability to engage with them.
5. Whilst many talked about the strong sense of community, particularly in rural villages and towns, they also identified that many older people in rural and coastal areas are impacted by loneliness and isolation, and considered this to have a significant negative impact on the ability to age healthily.

You can hear more from our older people and those involved in the study in this video.

Our findings are presented in a report, entitled “Healthy Ageing in Rural and Coastal Areas of Northern Ireland: Challenges and Solutions”, in which we summarise findings and suggest solutions and recommendations for moving forward to address some of the challenges and barriers to ageing healthily in rural and coastal areas.

The report is being launched at our ESRC Festival of Social Science event, “Spaces and Connections: Healthy ageing in rural and coastal areas” on Thursday 7^th November in Fermanagh House, Enniskillen. You can join researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, and representatives from AgeNI and The Paul Hogarth Company, for this special event to discuss how where we live may affect our health as we get older with a particular focus on rural and coastal living. As well as sharing lived experiences around healthy ageing, attendees will be able to discuss and reflect on new research that combine the themes of healthy ageing, social connection, and rural or coastal living.

You can book here or simply drop in on the day. The event starts at 11am.

Part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science in Northern Ireland.

QPol is the ‘front door’ for public policy engagement at Queen’s University Belfast, supporting academics and policymakers in sharing evidence-based research and ideas on the major social, cultural and economic challenges facing society regionally, nationally and beyond. Website: qpol.qub.ac.uk  Email:  [email protected]