scholarly journals The interweaving of repartnered older adults' lives with their children and siblings

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
JENNY DE JONG GIERVELD ◽  
ANNEMARIE PEETERS
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Stressful Life Event ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Embeddedness ◽  
Living Apart Together ◽  
Longitudinal Survey Data ◽  
The Social ◽  
Unmarried Cohabitation ◽  
Depth Interviews

This paper examines the consequences of repartnering upon the social embeddedness of older adults' lives. The starting hypotheses, that repartnering is a stressful life event and is incompletely institutionalised, are examined using the NESTOR longitudinal survey data from The Netherlands on 4,449 respondents aged 55–89 years, together with in-depth interviews of 46 adults aged 50 or more years who had repartnered in later life. The results indicate that more repartnered older adults choose unmarried cohabitation and to ‘live apart together’ than remarriage. It was also found that when two partners come together, while not surprisingly their social networks become larger than those of separated older adults who do not enter a new relationship, less positively the quality of the subjects' relationships with their children was negatively affected. The older adults who opted for unmarried cohabitation and ‘living apart together’ relationships tended to have the weakest bonds with their children, principally for reasons associated with stress and (financial) insecurity.

scholarly journals Dog Walking and the Social Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Loneliness in Older Adults

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1852
Author(s):  
Dawn Carr ◽  
Erika Friedmann ◽  
Nancy R. Gee ◽  
Chelsea Gilchrist ◽  
Natalie Sachs-Ericsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Dog Walking ◽  
Longitudinal Survey Data ◽  
The Social ◽  
Socially Isolated

Pet ownership can provide important companionship and facilitate social connections, which may be particularly important to socially isolated older adults. Given the significant deleterious impact of loneliness on health and wellbeing in later life, many predicted that public safety measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic would greatly increase loneliness, particularly among vulnerable populations like older adults. We investigated whether dog walking buffers loneliness in the context of stressors imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Longitudinal survey data were obtained from a Florida community-based sample of adults (n = 466) aged 60+ years old in September 2018 and October 2020. Using OLS regression models, we tested: (a) the association between the social consequences of COVID-19 and changes in loneliness, and (b) the buffering effect of dog walking on this relationship. The high social consequences of COVID-19 were related to increases in loneliness. Walking a dog daily buffered the relationship. These results suggest potential therapeutic effects of dog walking for the promotion of mental health in older adults, particularly in the context of stressful situations that accentuate risks for loneliness.

scholarly journals Older Adults and Civic Engagement in Rural Areas of the Czech Republic

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcela Petrová Kafková ◽  
Lucie Vidovićová ◽  
Petr Wija
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Political Life ◽  
Specific Group ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Social ◽  
Local Contexts

Abstract Older adults represent a specific group of political and civic actors. In one line of argument, the growing number of people over 65 is gaining stronger voice and representation, and plays a stronger role in social, economic and political life and changes in societies. Another approach points to the social exclusion of older adults and their “oppressed voices”. Using a representative survey of the Czech rural population age 60+, Quality of Life of Seniors in Rural Areas (2016), we looked at the level and forms of civic engagement of older adults and their perceptions in rural areas. We found these attitudes associated with the “locus of control” as an indicator of agency and with place attachment. Some sociodemographic characteristics (being younger, having higher education) increase the probability of older adults’ civic participation in rural areas. The results enhance our knowledge on rural social networks in later life and point to untapped potential of older adults in the local contexts.

scholarly journals Predicting Changes in Older Adults' Interpersonal Control Strivings

2009 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dara H. Sorkin ◽  
Karen S. Rook ◽  
Jutta Heckhausen ◽  
John Billimek
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Personal Resources ◽  
Social Exchanges ◽  
The Social ◽  
Interpersonal Control

People vary in the importance they ascribe to, and efforts they invest in, maintaining positive relationships with others. Research has linked such variation in interpersonal control strivings to the quality of social exchanges experienced, but little work has examined the predictors of interpersonal control strivings. Given the importance of close relationships in later life, this study examined conditions that might precipitate increases or declines in interpersonal control strivings over a 2-year period. Specifically, change in interpersonal control strivings was hypothesized to be particularly influenced by the interplay of two co-occurring conditions: 1) experiences in the social environment that bolster or undermine older adults' motivation to foster satisfying social ties and 2) the availability of personal resources to respond to these experiences. The findings suggest that a change in older adults' interpersonal control strivings over a 2-year period was affected jointly by the frequency with which they experienced positive social exchanges and their health status. Features of the social environment, therefore, may interact with personal resources to influence interpersonal control strivings in later life.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting the Initial Engagement of Older Adults in the Use of Interactive Technology

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2847
Author(s):  
Lina Lee ◽  
Mary Lou Maher
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Interactive Technology ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Interactive Technologies ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Diary Studies ◽  
User Focus ◽  
Depth Interviews

Smart environments and the use of interactive technology has the potential to improve the quality of life for the senior community as well as to support the connections among the senior community and the world outside their community. In addition to the increasing number of studies in the field of aging and technologies, research is needed to understand the practical issues of user focus, adoption, and engagement for older adults to accept interactive technologies in their lives. In this study, we use two commercial technological interventions (uDraw and GrandPad) to understand technology-related perceptions and behaviors of older adults. We present five case studies that emerge from empirical observations of initial engagement with technology through research methods such as focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, observations, and diary studies. The contributions of this study are identification of the key factors that influence the initial engagement with interactive technology for older adults.

scholarly journals Effects of Participation in Social Activities on Cognitive Function Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jongnam Hwang ◽  
Sangmin Park ◽  
Sujin Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Gender Groups

Cognitive function is a critical health issue in later life, the decline of which disrupts well-being and daily life function. Cognitive decline in older ages can also be understood in the context of the social environment such as social connectedness and engagement in personal life. This study aimed to examine: (1) whether participation in social activities contributes to preventing cognitive decline, and (2) what type of social activities are beneficial to maintaining cognitive function. Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLOSA) 2006–2014, a longitudinal survey of the household-dwelling population aged 45 and older in Korea were used. The results revealed that Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores decreased with increasing age, at a rate of approximately 0.18 units across all age-gender groups, and the decrease was steeper for adults aged 65 and over. Participation in social gatherings was likely to delay the decline in cognitive function after the age of 65. In a gender-stratified model, social activity may not have an impact on the decline of cognitive function for men, whereas participation in social gatherings was negatively related to the decline of MMSE scores in women. This study suggests the need for a gender-stratified policy for preventing the decline of cognitive function while promoting engagement in social activities in Korean older adults.

Rising above It: Status Ambivalence in Older Adults

Gerontology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 576-588
Author(s):  
Deirdre A. Robertson ◽  
David Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Protective Mechanism ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Social ◽  
Implicit And Explicit

Background: Social status is the standing of a person or group in the social hierarchy, and is perceived to change across the life span from low social status in early life, to peak in midlife, and to a decline thereafter. As threats to subjective social status are known to be detrimental to individuals’ health, it is important to better understand how older adults perceive themselves and others in terms of age-related social status. Objective: We examined status ambivalence – the potential discrepancy between how older adults’ perceive social status for themselves compared to older adults in general. Method: Study 1 used qualitative data from 37 semi-structured interviews with older adults to assess perceptions of social status. Study 2 used quantitative survey data from 114 older adults who completed explicit and implicit measures of social status. Results: Study 1 (n = 37, meanage = 71.72, SDage = 5.69; 81.1% women) provided preliminary evidence for status ambivalence such that older adults reported unequivocal low social status for other older adults but a more ambivalent perception of their own social status. Study 2 (n = 114, meanage = 64.32, SDage = 8.98, 57.9% women) compared implicit and explicit measures of social status revealing that older adults consistently perceive older adults to have low social status but again show a more ambivalent perception of their own social status. Conclusion: We discuss status ambivalence as a potential protective mechanism in the context of negative societal perceptions of age-related social status that may be important for well-being in later life.

Experience of Time and Subjective Age When Facing a Limited Lifetime: The Case of Older Adults with Advanced Cancer

2021 ◽  
pp. 089826432110631
Author(s):  
Katsiaryna Laryionava ◽  
Anton Schönstein ◽  
Pia Heußner ◽  
Wolfgang Hiddemann ◽  
Eva C. Winkler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Perceived Quality Of Life ◽  
Experience Of Time ◽  
Finite Resource ◽  
Life Threatening

Objectives We addressed two questions: (1) Does advanced cancer in later life affect a person’s awareness of time and their subjective age? (2) Are awareness of time and subjective age associated with distress, perceived quality of life, and depression? Methods We assessed patients suffering terminal cancer (OAC, n = 91) and older adults free of any life-threatening disease (OA, n = 89), all subjects being aged 50 years or older. Results Older adults with advanced cancer perceived time more strongly as being a finite resource and felt significantly older than OA controls. Feeling younger was meaningfully related with better quality of life and less distress. In the OA group, feeling younger was also associated to reduced depression. Perceiving time as a finite resource was related to higher quality of life in the OA group. Discussion Major indicators of an older person’s awareness of time and subjective aging differ between those being confronted with advanced cancer versus controls.

scholarly journals Evaluation complacency or evaluation inertia? A study of evaluative metrics and research practices in Irish universities

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lai Ma ◽  
Michael Ladisch
Keyword(s):  
Public Discourse ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Research Assessment ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Research Practices ◽  
Funding Agencies ◽  
The Social ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Quality Of Research

Abstract Evaluative metrics have been used for research assessment in most universities and funding agencies with the assumption that more publications and higher citation counts imply increased productivity and better quality of research. This study investigates the understanding and perceptions of metrics, as well as the influences and implications of the use of evaluative metrics on research practices, including choice of research topics and publication channels, citation behavior, and scholarly communication in Irish universities. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with researchers from the humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences in various career stages. Our findings show that there are conflicting attitudes toward evaluative metrics in principle and in practice. The phenomenon is explained by two concepts: evaluation complacency and evaluation inertia. We conclude that evaluative metrics should not be standardized and institutionalized without a thorough examination of their validity and reliability and without having their influences on academic life, research practices, and knowledge production investigated. We also suggest that an open and public discourse should be supported for the discussion of evaluative metrics in the academic community.

Confronting Consumption

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Conca
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Embeddedness ◽  
Consumer Society ◽  
Commodity Chains ◽  
Public Concern ◽  
Work Meaning ◽  
The Social

In affluent societies, evidence suggests that public concern and activism about “the consumption problem” is growing in many corners of everyday life—even in the paragon of the consumer society, the United States. These emerging concerns have an environmental dimension, but also embrace issues of community, work, meaning, freedom, and the overall quality of life. Yet the efforts of individuals, groups, and communities to confront consumption find little guidance or sympathy in policy-making, environmental, or academic circles—arenas dominated, perhaps as never before, by a deeply seated economistic reasoning and a politics of the sanctity of growth. Given our dissatisfaction with fragmentary approaches to consumption and its externalities, we highlight the elements of a provisional framework for confronting consumption in a more integrated fashion. We stress in particular the social embeddedness of consumption, the material and power-based linkages along commodity chains of resource use, and the hidden forms of consumption embedded in all stages of economic activity.

Exploring backpackers’ perceptions of the hostel service quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1839-1855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Brochado ◽  
Paulo Rita ◽  
Carlos Gameiro
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
Mixed Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of backpackers’s evaluation of service quality provided by hostels by developing a battery of items to assess perceptions of the overall hostel experience. Design/methodology/approach – Scale development took a mixed approach that combines qualitative and quantitative research. First, the authors performed a content analysis of reviews provided by guests in hostel booking web sites, in-depth interviews with hostel managers and focus groups with guests, to develop a battery of items to assess the hostel experience from the guests’ perspective. Then, a quantitative survey (n = 222) was conducted, to explore the dimensionality of service quality in this sector. Lisbon hostels are the target of this study, as they received several awards based on the online reviews of backpackers. Findings – The results revealed that service quality is a multidimensional concept and includes six dimensions, namely, social atmosphere, location and city connection, staff, cleanliness, security and facilities. Regression results revealed that the social atmosphere appears to be a core service dimension crucial to create a sense of hostel guest’s overall quality. Originality/value – The findings suggest that service quality scales should incorporate the specific characteristics of the hotel industry. The quality of the staff and the social atmosphere are of utmost importance to enhance the hostel backpacker experience.

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