The golden years?
Continued population ageing in places such as England, in the United Kingdom (UK), means there are relatively many older adults in society. Older adults may suffer from a host of age-related impairments, ranging from the physical to the cognitive, including neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia. To meet the needs of older adults living with dementia and to support them, there is an increase of informal dementia carers, many of whom are ageing themselves. Thus, highlighting the diversity among older adults as a group and the implications for their everyday experiences and perceptions is important. This thesis aims to understand the mobility of older adults and informal dementia carers in England across the later life course through their perceptions and experiences. In order to achieve this aim, this thesis utilises an interdisciplinary approach, combining various person-centred concepts, theories and methods. These are the lifecourse perspective, the capability approach, performativity, nostalgia, in-depth interviews and graphic elicitation. The findings show that by focusing on the diversity of older adults in terms of their characteristics, the diversity in their agency is also uncovered. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of considering experiences and perceptions across the later life course rather than at specific, ‘snapshot’ points in time. In conclusion, this thesis provides insights that can contribute to improving everyday life for older adults and informal dementia carers in England.