TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Perceptions of risk: perspectives on crime and safety in public housing for older adults
JO  - Gerontologist
A1  - Sheppard, Christine L.
A1  - Gould, Sarah
A1  - Austen, Andrea
A1  - Hitzig, Sander L.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An increasing number of older adults are aging-in-place in public housing. Public housing is perceived to have higher rates of crime that have detrimental impacts on health and wellbeing. We used a qualitative approach to understand the experiences of safety and unsafety for older adults in public housing. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants included older adult tenants (n=58) as well as service providers (n=58) that offer supports directly in the buildings. Semi-structured qualitative interviews and focus groups were used to explore: (1) what makes the buildings feel unsafe; (2) how safety concerns impact access to support services; and (3) strategies used to promote safety. <br><br>RESULTS: Participants acknowledged the importance of safety for creating a home-like environment; however, many described feeling unsafe at home or work. Participants described extreme examples of antisocial behaviors that were pervasive and viewed as commonplace. Lack of building security was a key issue, which was compounded by a perceived lack of accountability. While service providers were willing to accept a certain level of risk, many acknowledged that unsafe situations forced them to withdraw in-home services or stop community programs, further contributing to feelings of unsafety. In the absence of effective formal security, participants described several measures taken to mitigate risk. <br><br>DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings point to the need for enhanced physical and environmental safety infrastructure, improved building management, increased on-site security, as well as other proactive measures to reduce risk by creating greater sense of connection and community within the buildings.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0016-9013
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab155
ID  - ref1
ER  -