TCELT Research Seminar

Judith Sixsmith (author and presenter) and Mei Fang (author)

Judith Sixsmith is Professor of Health Related Research at the University of Dundee, UK. Her research interests lie in the areas of health and wellbeing where she explores the ways in which people, particularly older people, living in disadvantaged communities experience processes of marginalisation within existing health, social and cultural systems. She has substantial experience in directing research in the area of health and ageing. Her current research includes projects on the inclusion of older people with learning disabilities and those who identify as LGBT+ in their communities, placemaking with older people, age friendly cities and communities, ageing and technology, intergenerational design, and ageing-well-in-the-right-place. An expert in qualitative methodologies, Judith prioritises the involvement of participants in the design, implementation, interpretation and dissemination phases of her research, including co-researchers from highly marginalised groups such as asylum seekers, refugees and older frail people within qualitative frameworks. Judith has also conducted survey and questionnaire studies, again reaching seldom heard groups. She has published widely in the fields of ageing, health and community/environmental psychology, alongside publications concerning the use of visual methodologies and participatory processes.

Ageing-in-place can be a positive experience for many older people but this is not always the case. This study explores experiences of forced relocation of older, low-income migrants in Canada through the lens of their past place histories and current social and health contexts. A multi-method, qualitative community-based approach was taken to generate rich data in 15 semi-structured interviews, 10 storytelling sessions and 8 photo-tours. The narrative and visual data were co-analysed with participants using a framework thematic analysis. Findings reveal that forced relocation can be understood as fluid, interconnected, temporal transitions across temporal, socio-cultural and psychological as well as physical and health life domains. While forced place transitions were often experienced in terms of feelings of distress, fear and exclusion, experiences of empowerment were also identified alongside community and social belonging, pride and personal integrity. The findings highlight the way multiple, dynamic and interconnected transitions are formed by the opportunities and oppressions that shape past and present places and spaces that older people live in.