Classic milk bar more than a suburban icon
Healthy eating doesn’t mean lower overall medical costs, but does mean that what is spent represents a better health investment.
by Joan Stewart
Older people are frequently portrayed as dependent and despondent; biding their time and waiting for a visit from their children. But we must also remember that many older people remain self-reliant, proactive, and positive.
Visiting local neighbourhood shops is integral to the daily independent living experience of many older people. It can be a means of access to goods in a supportive environment. But the experience involves more than merely purchasing supplies. Older people can be observed in their local neighbourhood shops engaging with shopkeepers and with other shoppers as they exchange information about local and global issues. The interaction is happy and lively. But this is just the half of it.
Recent research has indicated that for older people, social interaction in their local shops can be associated with autonomy and control as they play an active part in shaping the milieu of their local neighbourhood shopping precinct. Moreover, such autonomy and control can be vital for their well-being.
These findings could have consequences for policy and practice directed at ensuring older people can stay in their own homes for as long as possible, or to ‘age in place’.
How so?
Many older people have shopped locally for many years. Some of them pioneered their suburbs and they are recognised as community members. This can be important as a boost to self-esteem in a society that may see older people as redundant or weak. However, the interaction is also associated with control; being able to continue to participate in everyday affairs despite the threat of negative stereotype. The study indicated that the social interaction in local shops involved more. Older shoppers, in their everyday interactions in their local neighbourhood shops, surveilled and made choices that affected their neighbourhood shopping precinct, and that had consequences for their ongoing autonomy.
Sounds strategic? It is.
Local shopping precincts are subject to change. Inappropriate development or the decline of a local shopping strip could be devastating for people as they grow older and become less able. The study indicated that older people were active in maintaining the milieu of their local shopping precincts. They monitored businesses and car parking. They signed petitions. Preferred businesses were supported and they survived; unsuitable ones were ignored and they failed.
So what has this got to do with ageing in place?
The ‘Great Australian Dream’, home ownership, has been a passionate matter for those who are now older Australians; ownership rates among people over age 65 are above 80 percent. Many of these older Australians want to remain in their homes for as long as possible, a desire that is supported by the Australian Government.
In April 2012, a comprehensive package of reforms to build a better, fairer, more sustainable and more nationally consistent aged care system was unveiled by the Australian Government. The Living Longer Living Better aged care reform package allocated $3.7 billion over the first five of the ten year reform program. It was proposed that $955.4 million of the package funds would be directed to helping older people to stay at home through subsidising:
- An integrated Home Support program – that is, improvement to the current system by which people must move between providers as their needs increase
- More Home Care packages with new levels of packages
- Greater choice and control through Consumer Directed Care available across all new Home Care packages
- Fairer means-testing arrangements for Home Care packages.
In addition it was proposed that $54.8 million would help carers access respite and other support, and $1.2 billion would be allocated to build and strengthen the aged careworkforce. These funds would be shared across community and residential care. This raises the question of workforce capacity which is already a problem. It is clear that policy makers and planners will have many challenges with regard to operationalising ageing in place.
Ageing in place is not merely continuing to reside in one’s own property or staying at home. It is likely to involve continuation of one’s routines in a familiar community environment, shopping for example. Remaining in one’s home, even with support services but without the opportunity to interact naturally in the community, could even exacerbate social isolation and create dependency. Older people need their local shops. Retention of local shops with dedicated proximal parking and good paving should be a priority. Shopkeepers and local bus drivers could be educated to assist older people.
Clearly the plan of action for must also involve more research aimed at identifying neighbourhood structures or processes that currently enable older to care for themselves. In so doing, their need for costly support services could be reduced. Fewer care workers would be required.
Shopping may be integral to many older peoples’ everyday lives, but ongoing interaction and involvement in the community, and the opportunity to shape ones’ future can help older people to feel connected and in control.
Joan Stewart is a PhD student in the Healthy Ageing Research Unit at Monash University. Ms Stewart’s PhD research focuses on the relationship between shop visits and older people.