COVID-19, Inequality and Older People

EPDF and EPUB available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. This book provides new insights into the challenges facing older people in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws upon novel qualitative longitudinal research which recorded the experiences of a diverse group of people aged 50+ in Greater Manchester over a 12-month period during the pandemic. The book analyses their lived experiences and those of organisations working to support them, shedding light on the isolating effects of social distancing. Focusing on interviews with 21 organisations, as well as 102 people from four ethnic/identity groups, the authors argue that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities in the UK, disproportionately affecting low-income neighbourhoods and minority ethnic communities. The book outlines recommendations in relation to developing a 'community-centred approach' in responding to future variants of COVID-19, as well as making suggestions for how to create post-pandemic neighbourhoods.

Camilla Lewis is Lecturer in Architectural Studies at the University of Manchester. Chris Phillipson is Professor of Sociology and Social Gerontology at the University of Manchester. Sophie Yarker is Research Fellow in the School of Social Science at the University of Manchester. Luciana Lang is Research Associate in the School of Social Science at the University of Manchester.