title: Ways in which 'community' benefits frail older women's well-being: 'we are much happier when we feel we belong'.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to explore frail older women's lived experiences of 'community' and which aspects of 'community' they perceive as beneficial to their well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative project used a mixed methodological approach which integrated aspects of descriptive phenomenology and grounded theory. Ten frail, older women residing in South East Melbourne, Australia participated in in-depth interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This research obtained a rich and detailed account of the aspects of 'community' identified by participants as enhancing their well-being. These included: social contact, community dynamics, feelings of support and positive orientation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper has increased our understanding of the factors supporting well-being of frail older women. Service providers should actively consider how they can strengthen these factors to improve social connectedness for frail older women by the use of volunteers, developing social networks and increasing availability and quality of community-based activities.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Learmonth
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taket
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hanna
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D012944:Social Support