Abstract
Play in later life is more than leisure—it is an act of autonomy, resistance, and identity negotiation, especially for older women navigating marginal ity in public housing. Yet, conventional urban design and social programming often fail to recognize its significance. This study investigates how play is interpreted and practiced by 39 female older adults, using semi-structured interviews and network analysis. Findings indicate that socially-driven, self-organized activities such as chatting and volunteering form the core of meaningful play, while procedural barriers and spatial limitations hinder participation in more structured, passive forms. Ageism, loneliness, and dissatisfaction with the built environment further restrict opportunities for engagement, often reinforcing withdrawal and internalized margin aliz ation. Yet, play remains a key space for expression, resilience, and everyday joy, even within constrained circumstances. This study fills a critical research gap by focusing on an understudied, disadvantaged group, offering actionable insights for age-friendly urban design. It highlights how socio-spatial factors intersect to shape play in later life, informing strategies that preserve autonomy, dignity, and social connection.
Keywords
Older adults; Female; Ageism; Loneliness; Play
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.196
Citation
Jian, Y.I., Cheng, T., Chen, W.X.,and MO, K.H.(2025) Ageism, Loneliness, and the Built Environment: Shaping Older Women's Play in Public Housing Estates, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.196
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 10 - Design Practices & Impacts
Ageism, Loneliness, and the Built Environment: Shaping Older Women's Play in Public Housing Estates
Play in later life is more than leisure—it is an act of autonomy, resistance, and identity negotiation, especially for older women navigating marginal ity in public housing. Yet, conventional urban design and social programming often fail to recognize its significance. This study investigates how play is interpreted and practiced by 39 female older adults, using semi-structured interviews and network analysis. Findings indicate that socially-driven, self-organized activities such as chatting and volunteering form the core of meaningful play, while procedural barriers and spatial limitations hinder participation in more structured, passive forms. Ageism, loneliness, and dissatisfaction with the built environment further restrict opportunities for engagement, often reinforcing withdrawal and internalized margin aliz ation. Yet, play remains a key space for expression, resilience, and everyday joy, even within constrained circumstances. This study fills a critical research gap by focusing on an understudied, disadvantaged group, offering actionable insights for age-friendly urban design. It highlights how socio-spatial factors intersect to shape play in later life, informing strategies that preserve autonomy, dignity, and social connection.