Faculty
Health Sciences
Supervisor Name
Dr. Colleen McGrath
Keywords
older adults, geriatrics, environment, neighbourhood, community, public space, risk, risk taking
Description
When a young adult wants to go mountain climbing, rarely do people think it is “too dangerous”. The same cannot be said for older adults. Although life frequently involves risk-taking, older adults are too often positioned as ‘at risk’ and therefore, in need of protection. The problem lies in the way risk is conceptualized as an individually located phenomenon. This narrow view negates the environmental factors that exist outside the control of older adults and that shape risk in older adulthood. I wanted to address this gap, so my research explored the environmental factors that shape experiences of risk for older adults. This scoping review moved beyond individual-level risk factors in an effort to re-vision our understanding of risk as being shaped by socio-cultural processes. This program has been rewarding as it has strengthened my interest in the field of occupational science and prepared me for graduate school.
Document Type
Poster
Included in
Exploring the Environmental Factors that Shape the Experiences of Risk for Older Adults
When a young adult wants to go mountain climbing, rarely do people think it is “too dangerous”. The same cannot be said for older adults. Although life frequently involves risk-taking, older adults are too often positioned as ‘at risk’ and therefore, in need of protection. The problem lies in the way risk is conceptualized as an individually located phenomenon. This narrow view negates the environmental factors that exist outside the control of older adults and that shape risk in older adulthood. I wanted to address this gap, so my research explored the environmental factors that shape experiences of risk for older adults. This scoping review moved beyond individual-level risk factors in an effort to re-vision our understanding of risk as being shaped by socio-cultural processes. This program has been rewarding as it has strengthened my interest in the field of occupational science and prepared me for graduate school.