Close ties, near and far away: patterns and predictors of geographic network range among older Europeans

The main objective of this paper is to visualize profiles of older Europeans to better understand differing levels of dependency across Europe. Data comes from wave 6 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), carried out in 18 countries and representing over 124 million aged individuals in Europe. Using the information of around 30 mixed-type variables, we design four composite indices of wellbeing for each respondent: self-perception of health, physical health and nutrition, mental agility, and level of dependency. Next, by implementing the k-prototypes clustering algorithm, profiles are created by combining those indices with a collection of socio-economic and demographic variables about the respondents. Five profiles are established that segment the dataset into the least to the most individuals at risk of health and socio-economic wellbeing. The methodology we propose is wide enough to be extended to other surveys or disciplines.

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There at any distance? Geographic proximity and the presence of adult children in older Europeans’ core discussion networks

Social Science Research ◽

10.1016/j.ssresearch.2021.102643 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 102643

Author(s):

Markus H. Schafer ◽

Haosen Sun

Keyword(s):

Adult Children ◽

Geographic Proximity ◽

Older Europeans

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Confidant Network Types and Well-Being Among Older Europeans

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gnt056 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 54 (5) ◽

pp. 762-772 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

H. Litwin ◽

K. J. Stoeckel

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Older Europeans

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The Decreasing Prevalence of Nonrefractive Visual Impairment in Older Europeans

Ophthalmology ◽

10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.02.005 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 125 (8) ◽

pp. 1149-1159 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Cécile Delcourt ◽

Mélanie Le Goff ◽

Therese von Hanno ◽

Alireza Mirshahi ◽

Anthony P. Khawaja ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visual Impairment ◽

Older Europeans

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Ageing and Personhood in Twenty-First Century Europe: A Challenge to Religion

International Journal of Public Theology ◽

10.1163/156973209x387316 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 63-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Peter Coleman

Keyword(s):

Pastoral Theology ◽

Population Ageing ◽

First Century ◽

Eastern Orthodox ◽

The Past ◽

Christian Churches ◽

Human Ageing ◽

Young Old ◽

Older Europeans

AbstractThe nature and experience of human ageing is changing as people come to live longer lives both as active 'young-old' and dependent 'old-old'. Europe is in the forefront of population ageing and stands in great need of a creative response at many levels, including from religious bodies. There needs to be recognition that older Europeans benefit less than in the past from the elder's traditional religious role of witnessing and transmitting faith. Indeed in some European countries older people can be greatly troubled in their own faith yet pastorally unsupported as Christian churches focus on evangelizing the reluctant young. Pastoral theology needs to be developed to encourage creative responses to the older person's isolation, which can be cultural and spiritual as well as physical. Possibly the greatest challenge is to respond effectively to the rising numbers entering the fourth age in a state of dementia. In this respect western Christianity has much to learn from the Eastern Orthodox tradition, which lays less emphasis on rationality as the criterion for human and moral status, and more on the person in relationship. Even if we forget who we are, we can and should be remembered by others, and in the last analysis are remembered by God.

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