Trygghet bortom brott: Äldre personers upplevda trygghet i det offentliga rummet

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how older adults experience safety inurban public spaces in Umeå, Sweden. The study focuses onadults aged 80-85 and aims to broaden the understandingof safety beyond fear of crime. Based on six semi-structuredinterviews, the analysis explores how perceived safety isshaped through the interaction between the physicalenvironment, physical conditions, social presence andeveryday adaptations. The study draws on EnvironmentalPress Theory, where safety is understood in relation to thebalance between individual competence and theenvironmental demands. The findings show that participants generally describeUmeå as safe, but that this sense of safety depends onpractical and situational conditions. Lighting, walkability,seating, surface conditions, social presence and thepossibility of receiving help emerge as central factors forhow public spaces are used and experienced. The findingsalso show that older adults should not be understood as ahomogeneous group, as experiences of safety varydepending on bodily conditions, previous experiences andeveryday routines. The study therefore shows that safety forolder adults is closely connected to independence, mobility,and the possibility of continuing to participate in everydayurban life.