The “British countryside” is so nebulous a term that defining it is impossible. Despite this, the most popular definition entails the idyllicization of space, where rural areas are constructed as peaceful, problem-free, and cohesive settings that are removed from the harsh realities of late-modern social life and characterized by both a “close social community and a contiguous nat- ural environment” (Cloke and Milbourne 1992, 359). Such images have en- couraged the in-migration of older people who are attracted to the green landscapes and slow pace of country life. As a result, the median age of rural residents has risen. In fact, according to a report by the Commission for Rural Communities (2010), it was higher (at 44.4 years) than that in urban areas (38.5 years).

Kerrigan, N. (2020). Disability, age, the British countryside and social exclusion. In K. Aubrecht, C. Kelly, & C. Rice (Eds.), The aging-disability nexus (pp. 235–250). UBC Press.