Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Geography & Environmental Studies

Faculty/School

Faculty of Arts

First Advisor

Robert Sharpe

Advisor Role

Thesis Supervisor

Abstract

In Geneva (Switzerland), some of the elderly live in housing built especially for this category of the population. Most of this housing is located in the city centre, is close to all services, and has good access to public transportation. However, we observe spatial and social segregation between the elderly who live in retirement housing and the population of their neighbourhood. The aims of this research are to examine the barriers and meeting-points between the elderly who live in these apartments and the population of their neighbourhood, to identify the factors that lead these elderly to be segregated, and to understand how these factors interact. For example, this research indicates that factors such as architectural barriers, difficulty in adapting oneself to new situations, and moving to retirement housing significantly contribute to segregation of people who live in retirement housing. To collect data, a multi-method research approach was used: archival methods (retirement housing's guides), direct observation (retirement buildings and their neighbourhood), and open-ended interviews (staff and residents of retirement housing).

Convocation Year

2004

Convocation Season

Spring

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