Les territoires ruraux protègent-ils les personnes aînées ? Solidarités et sociabilités à l’épreuve de la pandémie

This article examines the experience of older people in rural eastern Quebec during the Covid-19 health crisis, analysing the effects of the pandemic on their social relations. The aim is to examine the elements specific to the pandemic and their consequences for older people, whether positive or negative, and to identify the dynamics at work within rural areas and to gain a better understanding of the specific characteristics of these environments which shape people’s experience of ageing. The methodology combined semi-structured interviews with older people (63), family carers (21) and those involved in crisis management and the territorial management of ageing populations (38). The results show that family, neighbourhood and community solidarity were strengthened by the existence of mutual aid systems characteristic of rural areas, and all the more easily mobilised during the crisis because they were in place before it. The results also highlight social practices that are regulated differently depending on the individual, and which are associated with previous sociability patterns, individual characteristics and the specific features of rural areas. While for some people these social practices increase the risk of their networks becoming fragile over the longer term, for others they demonstrate their capacity to adapt and resilience. More broadly, the results highlight the predominant role of local and regional authorities in combating the risk of social exclusion, through the implementation of a “territorial safety net”. This safety net is made up of the joint actions of various local players, and it helps to support older people, but it also raises questions about the place and role of government in this organisation.