The temporal aspects of mobility intentions: older people's reflections on present and future support arrangements

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Rachel Barken
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Ageing In Place ◽  
The Past ◽  
Interpretive Analysis ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Temporal Aspects ◽  
Time Work

AbstractDiscourses on later-life housing and care are polarised. Ageing in place – typically in one's long-term dwelling – is often presented as the most desirable living arrangement, while moving to a congregate environment tends to be regarded as a last resort. Such polarised discourses obscure older people's experiences as they contemplate needs for housing, health and social care. To expand current understandings of mobility intentions, this paper examines ‘time work’ – or actions undertaken to exert some agency over time – as older people with chronic health conditions and disabilities navigate present and future support arrangements. Based on an interpretive analysis of qualitative interviews with 22 older persons receiving home care in Ontario, Canada, I identify three themes that highlight the temporal aspects of mobility intentions: (a) maintaining continuity with the past and present, (b) constructing alternative futures and (c) facing precarity. Focusing on time work shows how people make sense of ageing in place and/or relocating not only in relation to their physical, social and psychological capacities, but also in relation to perceptions of the past, present and future. Time work, moreover, has implications for feelings of security in the present and a sense of control over the future. Based on these findings, I make suggestions for developing a comprehensive continuum of supports, so all older people can make meaningful choices concerning housing and care.

‘Independence’ among older people receiving support at home: the meaning of daily care practices

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 518-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
RACHEL BARKEN
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Interpretive Analysis ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Formal Services ◽  
The Face ◽  
Care Practices ◽  
Physical Capacities

ABSTRACTLater life care practices are closely entangled with the ideals of independence and dependence. Based on an interpretive analysis of qualitative interviews with 34 people aged 65–100 receiving home care in Ontario, Canada, this article explores older people's subjective interpretations of caring for themselves (i.e. independence) and receiving support from others (i.e. dependence). Findings suggest that individuals construct subjective meanings of independence in relation to their changing physical capacities, and in the context of their relationships with family members, friends and formal care providers. First, participants considered their care activities to be a way of maintaining independence when they undertook certain practices with the intention of staving off dependency and future decline. Second, when they accepted assistance, many engaged in care relations that allowed them to preserve an independent identity in the face of limits to physical self-sufficiency. Third, participants reached the limits of independence when they lacked adequate assistance, and were unable to care for themselves in desirable ways. Findings illustrate how objective circumstances related to social and financial resources as well as access to formal services shape subjective interpretations, allowing some older people to hold on to independent identities while exacerbating feelings of dependency among others.

scholarly journals A Home for Life? A Critical Perspective on Housing Choice for “Downsizers” in the UK

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Park Adam ◽  
Ziegler Friederike
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Ageing In Place ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Risk Of Falls ◽  
Age Appropriate ◽  
The Uk

A range of policy, research and media commentary has highlighted the link between housing, health, and wellbeing in later life, with discourses around “ageing in place” and “downsizing” emerging as particularly dominant. Proponents of “downsizing” strategies argue that the motivation for older people should be self-evident: difficulties with maintenance, heating bills, getting upstairs, and the increasing risk of falls are all commonly referred to. This outlook also highlights the economic benefits of downsizing to “age-appropriate” housing, particularly in relation to potential savings for health and social care budgets. Drawing upon participatory research with older people in the city of Sheffield, UK, this paper critiques current practices and discourses around the commissioning, design, and management of purpose-built retirement housing. The paper calls for an urgent need to reframe housing from a lifecourse perspective and to recognize older people as active citizens, for whom their homes are essential to their continuing to contribute to family life and society. We argue for a more nuanced debate around “downsizing” and “ageing in place”, and call for policy-makers to recognize the risk of spatially and socially marginalizing older people through current limitations in housing choices. The paper concludes by setting out a number of measures to improve the choice, quality, and flexibility of housing for later life.

Professional judgements of risk and capacity in situations of self-neglect among older people

2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1055-1072 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHANNON MCDERMOTT
Keyword(s):  
Critical Theory ◽  
Older People ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Sociological Theory ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Medical Illness ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
Professional Intervention ◽  
Sydney Australia

ABSTRACTOver the past 50 years, self-neglect among older people has been conceptualised in both social policy and the academy as a social problem which is defined in relation to medical illness and requires professional intervention. Few authors, however, have analysed the concept of self-neglect in relation to critical sociological theory. This is problematic because professional judgements, which provide the impetus for intervention, are inherently influenced by the social and cultural context. The purpose of this article is to use critical theory as a framework for interpreting the findings from a qualitative study which explored judgements in relation to older people in situations of self-neglect made by professionals. Two types of data were collected. There were 125 hours of observations at meetings and home assessments conducted by professionals associated with the Community Options Programme in Sydney, Australia, and 18 professionals who worked with self-neglecting older people in the community gave in-depth qualitative interviews. The findings show that professional judgements of self-neglect focus on risk and capacity, and that these perceptions influence when and how interventions occur. The assumptions upon which professional judgements are based are then further analysed in relation to critical theory.

scholarly journals Retirement Migration and Precarity: Material and Social Aspects

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 443-444
Author(s):  
Marion Repetti ◽  
Toni Calasanti
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Active Lifestyle ◽  
Retirement Migration ◽  
Material Resources ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Discussions of precarity in later life have tended to focus on the uncertainties of material resources, and the feelings of anxiety that this evokes (e.g., Lain et al. 2019) as some older people thus face the risk of being excluded from the broader society. Although scholars often point to inequalities, such as those based on class and gender, as having an influence on the likelihood of older people experiencing such precarity, ageism is considered only to the extent that it can exacerbate the impact of these statuses through, for instance, labor market experiences. Here, we expand upon the impact of ageism on the social aspects of precarity: the loss of recognition and respect as a person that is at the core of social bonds. Drawing on qualitative interviews we have conducted among Swiss, British, and U.S. older people who migrated to cheaper countries in retirement, we demonstrate that ageism can influence precarity regardless of classes. We find that even among wealthier older migrants, who otherwise might fit the image of the retiree seeking an active lifestyle in a sunny location, the attempt to escape the devaluation heaped upon older people in their original country plays an important role. In their new countries, retired migrants of all classes felt that they were valued and part of a community, and this differed from the ageism in their home countries. We thus argue that ageism be considered in future analyses of precarity in later life.

Mental Health in Later Life

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alisoun Milne
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Life Course Studies

Focusing on mental health rather than mental illness, this book adopts a life course approach to understanding mental health and wellbeing in later life. Drawing together material from the fields of sociology, psychology, critical social gerontology, the mental health field, and life course studies, it analyses the meaning and determinants of mental health amongst older populations and offers a critical review of existing discourse. The book explores the intersecting influences of lifecourse experiences, social and structural inequalities, socio-political context, history, gender and age-related factors and demands an approach to prevention and resolution that appreciates the embedded, complex and multi-faceted nature of threats to mental health and ways to protect it. It foregrounds engagement with the perspectives and lived experiences of older people, including people living with dementia, and makes the case for a paradigmatic shift in conceptualising, exploring and researching mental health issues and supporting older people with mental health problems. The book is essential reading for policy makers, health and social care professionals and students, third sector agencies, researchers and all of those concerned to more effectively and collaboratively address mental health issues in later life.

Third sector partnerships for older people: insights from live at home schemes in the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olumide Adisa
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Third Sector ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Uk ◽  
At Home

Purpose While there is a rich literature on the role of partnerships between statutory agencies and third sector organisations for public service delivery in health and social care, the evidence base on, partnerships between community-based groups and charities for older people in the UK is lacking. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data, the purpose of this paper is to examines partnerships within 46 live at home (LAH) schemes. These schemes were specifically designed to tackle isolation and promote independence and wellbeing by providing a wide range of activities, based on the needs of its members. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on an online survey of 46 LAH schemes and face-to-face interviews with seven scheme managers to capture data on the various partnership initiatives within the LAH schemes. Findings Third sector partnerships for older people varied by type – formal, semi-formal and informal. In addition, third sector partnership working fosters the achievement of clear outcomes for older people who LAH and could be a mechanism for building social capital in communities. The study also identified barriers to developing third sector partnerships within this context. Mapping existing partnerships in LAH schemes were considered to be useful in engaging with partners. LAH scheme managers were better able to identify partnerships that could be deepened and broadened, depending on the desired outcomes. Originality/value To the author’s knowledge, there are few studies on third sector partnership working in LAH schemes for older people. According to Age UK, there are 1.2m chronically lonely older people in the UK. Over half of all people aged 75 and over live alone (ONS, 2015). Loneliness and social isolation in later life are considered to be two of the largest health concerns we face. Scaling up these third sector partnerships may offer a credible way to shore up support for older people who live alone or want to live at home.

scholarly journals Pursuing security: economic resources and the ontological security of older New Zealanders

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 1666-1687 ◽  
Author(s):  
JULIANA MANSVELT ◽  
MARY BREHENY ◽  
CHRISTINE STEPHENS
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Economic Resources ◽  
Ontological Security ◽  
Strongly Connected ◽  
Material Conditions ◽  
Past Experiences ◽  
New Zealanders

ABSTRACTAccess to economic resources influences the material conditions of life for older people, as well as the freedoms and capacities of older people to achieve the kind of lives they value. Security is one aspect of later life valued by older people. Ontological security provides a sense of order and continuity and needs to be understood in terms of the situated life experiences and circumstances of older people. The study reported in this paper analysed 145 qualitative interviews with New Zealanders aged 63–93 in order to explore how participants understand ontological security. Varying levels of access to economic resources were associated with differing abilities of participants to manage the unpredictability of everyday life. Among the wealthy, security was strongly connected to the freedoms provided by ample financial resources. Contrary to what might be expected, those with the lowest levels of economic resources did not express higher levels of insecurity, but instead drew upon life experiences of managing and making do to construct a trajectory of security. Those with mid-range levels of economic resources expressed most insecurity, including anxiety over changing economic conditions and concerns over their ability to manage reductions in economic resources. In discussing the implications of this, the paper highlights the need to recognise ways in which access to economic resources intersect with life circumstances, past experiences and future social expectations to provide opportunities for all older people to pursue security as they strive to age well.

scholarly journals Shelter/housing options, supports and interventions for older people experiencing homelessness

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Sarah L. Canham ◽  
Joe Humphries ◽  
Piper Moore ◽  
Victoria Burns ◽  
Atiya Mahmood
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
English Language ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Supported Housing ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Ageing In Place ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Housing Options

Abstract While experiences of later-life homelessness are known to vary, classification of shelter, housing and service models that meet the diverse needs of older people with experiences of homelessness (OPEH) are limited. To address this gap, a scoping review was conducted of shelter/housing options, supports and interventions for OPEH. Fourteen databases were searched for English-language peer-reviewed and/or empirical literature published between 1999 and 2019, resulting in the inclusion of 22 sources. Through a collaborative, iterative process of reading, discussing and coding, data extracted from the studies were organised into six models: (1) long-term care, (2) permanent supportive housing (PSH), including PSH delivered through Housing First, (3) supported housing, (4) transitional housing, (5) emergency shelter settings with health and social supports, and (6) case management and outreach. Programme descriptions and OPEH outcomes are described and contribute to our understanding that multiple shelter/housing options are needed to support diverse OPEH. The categorised models are considered alongside existing ‘ageing in place’ research, which largely focuses on older adults who are housed. Through extending discussions of ageing in the ‘right’ place to diverse OPEH, additional considerations are offered. Future research should explore distinct sub-populations of OPEH and how individual-level supports for ageing in place must attend to mezzo- and macro-level systems and policies.

scholarly journals Lived experiences of ageing and later life in older people with intellectual disabilities

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 602-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
IDA KÅHLIN ◽  
ANETTE KJELLBERG ◽  
CATHARINA NORD ◽  
JAN-ERIK HAGBERG
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
The Body ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Life World ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to explore how older people with intellectual disability (ID), who live in group accommodation, describe their lived experience in relation to ageing and later life. The article is based on a study with a phenomenological approach, grounded on the concept of life-world. Individual, qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 people with ID (five men, seven women), between the ages of 48 and 71 (mean=64), who lived in four different group accommodation units in southern Sweden. A descriptive phenomenological analysis method was used, which disclosed a structure consisting of themes and sub-themes. The findings of the study reveal the informants' lived experience of ageing and later life as a multifaceted phenomenon, expressed through the two themes, ‘age as a process of change’ and ‘existential aspects of ageing’, each with three sub-themes. The body is an essential element in their experience of ageing and growing old, and in how this experience is expressed. The study also found social, cultural and historical dimensions of the life-world to be important in the informants' experience of ageing and later life. This supports understanding of the existence of a collective life-world for older people with ID, the unique experiences the informants share because of their disability and its consequences for their lifecourse.

scholarly journals Ambivalence among staff regarding ageing with intellectual disabilities: Experiences and reflections

2019 ◽  
pp. 174462951987499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Åsa Alftberg ◽  
Maria Johansson ◽  
Gerd Ahlström
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Group Homes ◽  
Theoretical Concept ◽  
Assistive Devices ◽  
Active Lifestyle ◽  
Ageing In Place ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities

This study explores the experiences and reflections of staff in intellectual disability (ID) services concerning ageing with ID. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 24 staff members in group homes and daily activity centres. The findings showed that the staff were uncertain about the signs of ageing in people with intellectual disabilities; they compared the life conditions of these people with conditions in older people without intellectual disabilities. Their emphasis on an active lifestyle was very strong. The staff members also mentioned uncertainty about how to facilitate assistive devices and whether ‘ageing in place’ was the best solution. The overall theme was manifested as ambivalence where notions of older people with intellectual disabilities seemed incompatible with notions of old age in general and could be explained by the theoretical concept of age coding. The findings of this study indicate the need to provide education about ageing to staff working in ID services.

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