K. Galkin Barriers and inequalities for older people in the urban environment during the COVID-19 pandemic

Текст статьи.

Abstract

The social space of modern cities is conditioned by various physical and symbolic barriers and restrictions. The problem of accessibility of the social space of cities for the elderly becomes a factor of reproduction of inequality and an obstacle to the path of autonomy. This is especially evident during various epidemics, the introduction of regulations that restrict the movement of older people, and self-isolation. The article examines the features of the perception of urban spaces by older people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the article is to analyze what features of perception and use of urban space appear in older people during the pandemic and how urban spaces are transformed for older people during the pandemic. The study was conducted in the federal city of St. Petersburg and the large regional city of Petrozavodsk. A total of 20 semi-structured interviews with elderly people (n=20) and 15 observation diaries were collected. The main conclusions of the study are: different understanding of spaces depending on the size of the city and the services that are present in the city; the presence of communication and social involvement allow minimizing the negative effects of the “tightness” of older people in urban spaces, which is caused by the coronavirus pandemic.