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The application of social innovation as it relates to older people and the implications for future policymaking: a scoping review

Holly Louise Crossen-White (Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK)
Ann Hemingway (Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK)
Adele Ladkin (Department of People and Organisations, Bournemouth University – Talbot Campus, Poole, UK)

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults

ISSN: 1471-7794

Article publication date: 17 November 2020

Issue publication date: 1 December 2020

203

Abstract

Purpose

Social innovation has received increasing attention in recent decades (Agostini et al., 2017). This study aims to consider how the concept has been applied to the issue of ageing and what can be learnt about effective policy responses.

Design/methodology/approach

The acknowledged lack of understanding generally about the concept makes it timely to undertake a scoping review of the current evidence from social innovation projects associated with older people. A scoping review is considered appropriate where there is a need to “identify and analyse knowledge gaps” (Munn et al., 2018, p. 2).

Findings

Findings from the scoping review indicate that, as yet, the concept of social innovation is not fully defined. However, it has widespread appeal across a diverse range of disciplines and has the potential to generate innovative policy responses.

Originality/value

A key argument identified is the need to change the public’s perceptions of ageing and devise public policies that encourage and nurture age-friendly communities. In summation, although social innovation has the potential to act as a policy driver, but to be effective, it is necessary to devise robust strategies to ensure full user-engagement and active involvement of communities. Therefore, it is the process of delivery that needs urgent attention in any future research into social innovation.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Interreg 2 Seas programme (2014–2020) co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (2S02-024).

Citation

Crossen-White, H.L., Hemingway, A. and Ladkin, A. (2020), "The application of social innovation as it relates to older people and the implications for future policymaking: a scoping review", Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 143-153. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAOA-04-2020-0014

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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