The Elders: A New Generation

1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidney Jones
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Voluntary Activity ◽  
Scientific Images ◽  
Life Education ◽  
New Generation

ABSTRACTDrawing upon evidence from Britain, this paper advances the proposition that new generations of older people are experiencing a healthier, materially better off and more satisfying old age. It is argued that both popular and scientific images of later life are out-dated and unduly negative. In advancing this analysis, attention is given to key areas of personal experience and social life: education, leisure and holidays, retirement, voluntary activity, spirituality, economic status, health and political involvement. A re-construction of the societal position of older people is indicated.

scholarly journals Network size and support in old age: differentials by socio-economic status in childhood and adulthood

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 625-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARJOLEIN I. BROESE VAN GROENOU ◽  
THEO VAN TILBURG
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Occupational Prestige ◽  
Personal Network ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines the impact of childhood and adulthood socio-economic status (SES) on personal network characteristics in later life. Data are derived from 2,285 married older adults (born between 1903 and 1937) who participated in face-to-face interviews for the Dutch survey on ‘Living arrangements and social networks of older adults’ conducted in 1992. Childhood and adulthood SES were indicated by the father's and own level of education and occupation. Multivariate analyses showed that SES in adulthood has more impact on network features in old age than father's SES. People with low lifetime SES or with downward SES mobility had small networks, low instrumental and emotional support from non-kin, but high instrumental support from kin, when compared with the upwardly mobile or those with high lifetime SES. The level of education was a better indicator of network differences than occupational prestige. It is concluded that obtaining a high SES during life pays off in terms of having more supportive non-kin relationships in old age. The small networks and less supportive non-kin relationships of low-status older adults make them more vulnerable to situations in which kin are unavailable or less willing to provide support. This study underscores the distinction between types of support and types of relationships in the SES–network association. Further research on the social pathways of socio-economic inequality in health and wellbeing should take these distinctions into account.

scholarly journals Unmet need for social care among older people

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 657-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
ATHINA VLACHANTONI
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Older Individuals

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the nature and extent of unmet need for social care among older people is a critical policy priority in the United Kingdom and beyond, as national governments juggle the provision of adequate social care for a growing older population with competing funding priorities. Several factors can heighten the experience of unmet need among older people, for instance their family environment, and their health and socio-economic status. This paper contributes empirical evidence on the patterns of unmet need for social care among older people in England today, focusing on the individual characteristics associated with experiencing unmet need in relation to mobility tasks, activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). The results show that about 55 per cent of older individuals with an ADL difficulty had unmet need, compared to 24 per cent of those with an IADL difficulty and 80 per cent of those with a mobility difficulty. Characteristics reflecting greater vulnerability were more strongly associated with the risk of experiencing unmet need for ADLs, and such vulnerability was greater for particular ADLs (e.g. bathing), and for a higher number of ADLs. The findings reaffirm the complexity of conceptualising and empirically investigating unmet need in later life, and add to our understanding of the challenges of providing adequate and appropriate social care to older people.

scholarly journals Factors affecting primary care practitioners’ alcohol-related discussions with older adults: Qualitative study

2021 ◽  
pp. BJGP.2020.1118
Author(s):  
Bethany Kate Bareham ◽  
Jemma Stewart ◽  
Eileen Kaner ◽  
Barbara Hanratty
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Older People ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Comparison Results ◽  
Primary Care Practitioners

Background: Risk of harm from drinking is heightened in later life, due to age-related sensitivities to alcohol. Primary care services have a key role in supporting older people to make healthier decisions about alcohol. Aim: To examine primary care practitioners’ perceptions of factors that promote and challenge their work to support older people in alcohol risk-reduction. Design and Setting: Qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews and focus groups with primary care practitioners in Northern England. Method: Thirty-five practitioners (general practitioners, practice/district nurses, pharmacists, dentists, social care practitioners, domiciliary carers) participated in eight interviews and five focus groups. Data were analysed thematically, applying principles of constant comparison. Results: Practitioners highlighted particular sensitivities amongst older people to discussing alcohol, and reservations about older people’s resistance to making changes in old age; given drinking practices could be established, and promote socialisation and emotional wellbeing in later life. Age-related health issues increased older people’s contact with practitioners; but management of older people’s long-term conditions was prioritised over discussion of alcohol. Dedicated time to address alcohol in routine consultations with older people, and training in alcohol intervention facilitated practitioners; particularly pharmacists and practice nurses. Conclusion: There are clear opportunities to support older people in primary care to make healthier decisions about alcohol. Dedicated time to address alcohol, training in identification of alcohol-related risks, particularly those associated with old age; and tailored interventions for older people, feasible to implement in practice settings, would support primary care practitioners to address older people’s alcohol use.

scholarly journals Do Personality Traits Influence the Association Between Depression and Dementia in Old Age?

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 233372142110682
Author(s):  
Adeleye A. Adaralegbe ◽  
Henry Egbuchiem ◽  
Oluwatomi Adeoti ◽  
Khuzeman Abbasi ◽  
Esther Ezeani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽  
Established Relationship ◽  
Life Education ◽  
Adjusted Model

Depression and personality traits are independent predictors of dementia or cognitive impairment. Despite the well-established relationship between these two psychosocial factors and dementia, no research has been documented on how personality traits can influence dementia in older adults exhibiting depressive symptoms. This study explores the influence of personality traits on the association between change in depression and dementia in old age. A population-based longitudinal cohort study involving two waves of data collected 5 years apart, containing 2210 American older adults, from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project to explore if personality traits influence how change in depression predicts the development of dementia. We assessed these relationships while adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Change in depression increased the likelihood of dementia at T2 by 4.2% (AOR = 1.04, p = 0.019) in the co-variate adjusted model. Personality traits, overall, did not influence how depression predicts the development of dementia. However, agreeableness individually nullified the effect of depression on the development of dementia, whereas extraversion was the only personality trait that significantly predicted dementia. Prosocial behaviors should be promoted in old age as these appear to be protective. In addition, early life education and a strong social support can keep the depression–dementia spectrum at bay in old age.

scholarly journals Age-Friendly Approaches and Old-Age Exclusion: A Cross-City Analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tine Buffel ◽  
Samuèle Rémillard-Boilard ◽  
Kieran Walsh ◽  
Bernard McDonald ◽  
An-Sofie Smetcoren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Research Gap

Developing ‘Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC)’ has become a key part of policies aimed at improving the quality of life of older people in urban areas. Despite this development, there is evidence of rising inequalities among urban elders, and little known about the potential and limitations of the age-friendly model to reduce old-age exclusion. This article addresses this research gap by comparing how Brussels, Dublin, and Manchester, as three members of the Global Network of AFCC, have responded to social exclusion in later life. The article combines data from document analysis and stakeholder interviews to examine: first, the age-friendly approach and the goal of reducing social exclusion; and second, barriers to developing age-friendly policies as a means of addressing exclusion. The paper suggests that there are reciprocal benefits in linking age-friendly and social exclusion agendas for producing new ways of combatting unequal experiences of ageing in cities.

scholarly journals When Frail Older People Relocate in Very Old Age, Who Makes the Decision?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Scheibl ◽  
Morag Farquhar ◽  
Jackie Buck ◽  
Stephen Barclay ◽  
Carol Brayne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Old People ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Age In Place

Abstract Background and Objectives Older people are likely to transition to a new home closer to family who can provide assistance or to long-term residential care as their health declines and their care needs increase. A minority choose to move to “age-friendly” housing before the onset of disability, but the majority prefer to “age in place” and defer moving until health crises compel a transition. Older people living with dementia are likely to move into residential care, but not much is known about the role they play in decision making around these moves. This qualitative study addresses this gap in knowledge by examining how a rare cohort of “older old” people, most with some level of cognitive impairment, were involved in decisions surrounding assistance seeking and moving to a care home. Research Design and Methods Thematic analysis of qualitative interview data from Cambridge City over-75s Cohort (CC75C) study participants aged 95 years and older, who had moved in later life, and their proxy informants (n = 26). Results Moves at such an old age were made due to a complexity of push and pull factors which had layered dynamics of decision making. In most cases (n = 22), decision making involved other people with varying degrees of decision ownership. Only four older people, who moved voluntarily, had full ownership of the decision to move. Many relatives reported being traumatized by events leading up to the move. Discussion and Implications “Older old” people are sometimes unable to make their own decisions about moving due to the urgency of health crisis and cognitive decline. There is a need to support relatives to discuss moving and housing options at timely junctures before health crises intervene in an effort to optimize older people’s participation in decision making.

scholarly journals The ideology of ageism versus the social imaginary of the fourth age: two differing approaches to the negative contexts of old age

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 1617-1630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Higgs ◽  
Chris Gilleard
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Theoretical Approach ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Imaginary ◽  
Contemporary Society ◽  
Social Gerontology ◽  
The Social ◽  
Key Aspects

AbstractThe development of social gerontology has led to the emergence of its own terminology and conceptual armoury. ‘Ageism’ has been a key concept in articulating the mission of gerontology and was deliberately intended to act as an equivalent to the concepts of racism and sexism. As a term, it has established itself as a lodestone for thinking about the de-valued and residualised social status of older people in contemporary society. Given this background, ageism has often been used to describe an overarching ideology that operates in society to the detriment of older people and which in large part explains their economic, social and cultural marginality. This paper critiques this approach and suggests an alternative based upon the idea of the social imaginary of the fourth age. It argues that not only is the idea of ageism too totalising and contradictory but that it fails to address key aspects of the corporeality of old age. Adopting the idea of a social imaginary offers a more nuanced theoretical approach to the tensions that are present in later life without reducing them to a single external cause or explanation. In so doing, this leaves the term free to serve, in a purely descriptive manner, as a marker of prejudice.

The other Victorians: age, sickness and poverty in 19th-century Ireland

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (06) ◽  
pp. 1157-1184 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRIS GILLEARD
Keyword(s):  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Other ◽  
British Isles ◽  
Great Famine ◽  
Victorian Period ◽  
The 19Th Century

ABSTRACTDrawing primarily upon data from the various censuses conducted in Ireland after the Act of Union in 1800, this paper seeks to elucidate the changing position of older people in Ireland during the Victorian period. Following the Great Famine of 1845–1849, it is argued, Ireland was transformed from a young, growing country to one that, by the end of the 19th century, had become ‘prematurely’ old. By the end of Victoria's reign, not only had Ireland grown ‘old’, but its older population were more likely to be identified as paupers. Later-life expectancy decreased and sickness and infirmity among the over-60 s increased. By employing a stricter form of ‘less eligibility’ in the drafting and implementation of the Irish Poor Law, proportionately more older people received indoor relief than outdoor relief compared with the rest of the British Isles. Not until the Old Age Pensions Act in 1908 did these disparities begin to change, by which time many of these ‘other’ Victorians had passed away.

scholarly journals Is Bullying Victimization in Childhood Associated With Mental Health in Old Age

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-172
Author(s):  
Bo Hu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Unobserved Heterogeneity ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Substantial Contribution ◽  
Bullying Victimization ◽  
Negative Impacts

Abstract Objective This study investigates the relationship between bullying victimization in childhood and mental health in old age. Methods The study uses data from a nationally representative sample of 9,208 older people aged 60 and older collected through the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) conducted in 2014 and 2015. Results Older people who were bullied in childhood have more severe depressive symptoms and are more likely to be dissatisfied with life than those without the experience of bullying victimization. The negative impacts remain significant after childhood confounders (15 types of familial adversities), four groups of contemporary confounders (demographic, health, social support, and socioeconomic factors), and community-level unobserved heterogeneity are all controlled for. The negative impacts of bullying victimization on mental health are attenuated among people in very old age, which confirms the socioemotional selectivity theory. Discussion The consequences of bullying victimization for mental health are comparable to, or even greater than those of familial adversities and contemporary risk factors. The factors threatening mental health vary considerably for older people in different age groups. Effective anti-bullying schemes in childhood and personalized support in later life can make a substantial contribution to healthy aging.

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