Aged spaces in an era of austerity: Food bank use by older people

Slocombe, Hannah (2023) Aged spaces in an era of austerity: Food bank use by older people. AREA, 55 (3). pp. 407-415.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/area.12870

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>In the context of austerity and the COVID‐19 pandemic, this paper draws on 17 interviews conducted with frontline staff and volunteers to explore the use of food banks by older people in a highly deprived North‐West borough. Despite high levels of poverty amongst this age group, older people are infrequent users of food banks and it is their absence from these spaces, as opposed to their use of and experiences within food banks, that has often gained attention. By foregrounding this age group, this paper highlights different circumstances of use, generational dynamics involving heightened feelings of shame, and how food banks function as social spaces for older people. In doing so, this paper adds to literature in gerontology around spaces of ageing, as well as research on food banks, by highlighting how experiences in these spaces are differentiated by age. This paper advances discussions around the impact of austerity on the everyday lives of older people. Due to the timing of this research, it also gives insight into how older people and informal social spaces have been affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic.</jats:p>

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	austerity, food bank, interviews, North-West, older people
Divisions:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > School of Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	25 May 2023 09:34
Last Modified:	11 Aug 2023 09:49
DOI:	10.1111/area.12870
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1111/area.12870
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3170659