BAME Communities: Ageing in Place

Healthwatch Camden was commissioned by AgeUK to examine how older people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities in Camden experience ageing in place, focusing on their social connections, use of local services, and community infrastructure. 

The study forms part of the national Ageing Better programme, which aims to reduce loneliness and social isolation among people aged 50 and over by strengthening community engagement. 

Two Camden wards—Regent’s Park and St Pancras and Somers Town—were chosen for the research because they are highly diverse, relatively deprived, and have significant older populations at risk of loneliness. 

The research draws on interviews with ten BAME-led community organisations and ten older Bangladeshi residents, exploring how people access support, maintain social connections, and interact with their local environment.

BAME-led organisations play a central role in supporting older residents, acting as trusted intermediaries that provide advice, social activities, and signposting to other services, often in community members’ first languages. 

These organisations rely heavily on face-to-face engagement, outreach, and word of mouth rather than digital communication, reflecting both cultural preferences and barriers such as limited digital skills among older residents. 

The main issues identified for older BAME residents include social isolation, poor physical and mental health, poverty, limited mobility, language barriers, and fear of crime, all of which can restrict participation in community life. 

Older Bangladeshi participants reported that the most important places in their daily lives are informal and culturally familiar settings such as mosques, parks, markets, local shops, and family homes, rather than formal services like community centres. 

These places provide both practical benefits and opportunities for social interaction, with the mosque playing a particularly important role in fostering strong social bonds among men. 

Social connections tend to be concentrated within the Bangladeshi community, with strong “bonding” ties but limited interaction with people from other backgrounds, meaning that broader “bridging” social networks are weak. 

Women generally reported fewer opportunities for strong social connections than men and were more likely to experience brief or informal interactions, often linked to shopping or family responsibilities. 

Participants highlighted barriers to engaging with local organisations, including health problems, caring responsibilities, lack of suitable activities, and the closure or reduction of services such as advice centres.  

While digital communication is increasing—particularly through smartphones and apps such as WhatsApp—older residents still rely mainly on telephone communication and traditional methods like leaflets and word of mouth for local information. 

Overall, the report concludes that ageing in place for older BAME residents depends heavily on culturally appropriate, community-based networks and informal social infrastructure, and it highlights the importance of supporting local organisations that enable connection, trust, and access to services.