COVID-19, Inequality and Older People: Developing Community-Centred Interventions

Phillipson, Christopher; Yarker, Sophie; Lang, Luciana; Doran, Patty; Goff, Mhorag; Buffel, Tine

Abstract

This paper considers the basis for a ‘community-centred’ response to COVID-19. It highlights the pressures on communities weakened by austerity, growing inequalities, and cuts to social infrastructure. This paper examines the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on low-income communities, whilst highlighting the extent to which they have been excluded from debates about policies to limit the spread of COVID-19. This paper examines four approaches to assist the inclusion of neighbourhoods in strategies to tackle the pandemic: promoting community participation; recruiting advocates for those who are isolated; creating a national initiative for supporting community-centred activity; and developing policies for the long-term. This paper concludes with questions which society and communities will need to address given the potential continuation of measures to promote physical distancing.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 27, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jul 29, 2021
• Deposit Date: Apr 18, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 22, 2025
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Electronic ISSN: 1660-4601
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 15
• Pages: 8064
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18158064