Designing Community "Drop-In" Spaces to Foster Social Connection Among Older Adults: A Practitioner's Field Note Report From an Urban Housing District.

Urban communities in Japan are increasingly experiencing social isolation among older adults due to a decline in everyday interaction opportunities. This qualitative case study offers a practitioner-based field note from the Namiki district of Yokohama City, where an informal, open-access "drop-in"...

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Publicado en:Inquiry (00469580) Vol. 63; pp. 1 - 6
Autor principal: Satoh, Miho
Formato: research Journal Article
Publicado: Sage Publications Inc. 4/10/2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Designing Community "Drop-In" Spaces to Foster Social Connection Among Older Adults: A Practitioner's Field Note Report From an Urban Housing District.
      aug:
        au: Satoh, Miho
        affil: Yokohama City University, Kanagawa, Japan
      sug:
        subj:
          Housing for Older Persons
          Interpersonal Relations In Old Age
          Urban Areas Japan
          Social Isolation Prevention and Control
          Social Participation
          Environment
          Cues
          Emotions
          Japan
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Aged
          Aged, 80 and Over
          Qualitative Studies
          Field Notes
          Social Environment
          Social Capital
          Comfort
          Support, Psychosocial
          Aged: 65+ years
          Aged, 80 & over
          Male
          Female
      ab: Urban communities in Japan are increasingly experiencing social isolation among older adults due to a decline in everyday interaction opportunities. This qualitative case study offers a practitioner-based field note from the Namiki district of Yokohama City, where an informal, open-access "drop-in" space was established to foster social connections among older residents. Over a 10-month period (December 2024–September 2025), a community social worker, an experienced volunteer, and the author engaged with residents through informal conversations, observation of foot traffic, and participation in routine gatherings. No structured interviews were conducted; instead, insights were gleaned from reflective field memos. Five key observations emerged: emotional caution influenced initial participation; minimizing formal roles reduced psychological burden; comfort was prioritized over programed activities; spatial visibility lowered entry barriers; and repeated low-pressure encounters facilitated the transformation of weak social ties into mutual support. This case study illustrates how informal, emotionally accessible spaces integrated into daily life can enhance social connectedness in aging urban communities.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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