scholarly journals (Non-)Stereotypical representations of older people in Swedish authority-managed social media

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Wenqian Xu
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Older People ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Media Representations ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Negative Stereotypes

Abstract Social media facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts and information about older people and later life through online networks and communities in contemporary society. Social media content about older people has become important for understanding media representations of older people, but it has not been sufficiently studied. Recent studies suggest that older people are predominantly represented as a disempowered, vulnerable and homogeneous group on social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Because local authorities in many countries have begun using Facebook to reach out to and interact with citizens, they are seen as a significant producer of media content about older people and later life. The purpose of this study is to examine the ways in which Swedish local authorities have visually portrayed older people in their use of Facebook compared with other age groups. This research performed a visual content analysis of 1,000 Facebook posts posted by 33 Swedish local authorities, employing ten analytical aspects to describe and interpret the signs, activities and contexts associated with older people and other age groups (infants, children, adolescents and adults). The study found that the representations of older people on the Facebook pages of local authorities appeared to be not very diverse; specifically, older people (including those in residential care homes) were mainly portrayed as remaining socially engaged and moderately physically capable. This media representation destabilised the prevalent negative stereotypes of older people as being out of touch and dependent; however, it collided with the reality of older individuals with care needs. Additionally, this study argues that older people are represented as inferior to the young in terms of physical and technological competence, based on the connotations of the signs. Given that local authorities have progressively incorporated social media into their daily work, it is expected that this study will contribute to a greater understanding of the ways in which local authorities produce (non-)stereotypical representations of older people on social media.

AGEISM AS A PROBLEM OF MODERN SOCIETY

2021 ◽  
pp. 133-137
Author(s):  
A. V. Polyanskaya ◽  
◽  
R. A. Melnikov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Negative Experience ◽  
Third Age

In the modern world, there is discrimination against older people because of their age, called ageism. It can manifest itself either in the form of discriminatory policies of States or companies, or in the form of psychological or physical violence against third-age persons. This type of discrimination was described in the 60s of the XX century, but concern about this phenomenon at the level of who and the UN arose only in the early 2000s. Research has established many causes of ageism: negative stereotypes about older people, upbringing, negative experience of interaction between older people and other age groups, etc. There are explicit and latent, deliberate and unintentional ageism. Proposed various methods for the identification of ageism. The article examines the causes of this type of discrimination, forms of its manifestation and existing research methods, and based on the literature data, offers suggestions for possible ways to combat ageism.

Neurological diseases, epidemiology, and public health

2021 ◽  
pp. 143-162
Author(s):  
Walter A. Kukull ◽  
Kumeren Govender ◽  
James Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
Diagnostic Potential ◽  
Lost Productivity

This chapter presents information for selected neurological conditions by referring to current or classic research papers. Conditions such as headache especially migraines have substantial public health impact because of the high prevalence, age groups affected, the associated lost economic productivity and the increase in disability-adjusted life years. Multiple sclerosis, a relatively common neurological disease, can affect individuals in young adulthood, decrease their productivity, and ultimately make them dependent on others. Traumatic brain injury occurring in youth or young adulthood can cause years of extra medical care in addition to lost productivity among those who survive the immediate event; in addition, repetitive trauma may cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy leading to dementia in later life. Epilepsy may have onset throughout one’s life course. While most causes are unknown, some may result from trauma or may be caused by specific genes, among other causes. While there are intractable forms of epilepsy, great strides have been made in preventing and managing seizures enabling patients to lead relatively full and normal lives. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, are now acknowledged to begin 10–30 years prior to symptom onset. This will influence how risk factor studies are conducted and interpreted, which may offer earlier diagnostic potential. Effective treatments for the resulting clinical dementias that reduce productivity, functional ability, and independence from older individuals have not yet been realized. Without question, neurological diseases have substantial public health as well as grave personal impact.

scholarly journals AGE-BASED STEREOTYPE THREAT: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PRIMING TECHNIQUES AND THEIR EFFECTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S455-S456
Author(s):  
Francesco Vailati Riboni ◽  
Francesco Pagnini
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Stereotype Threat ◽  
Functional Performance ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Experimental Methods ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Age-based stereotype threat (ABST) occurs when older adults are influenced by negative stereotypes about age-related decline and functional losses and ironically behave in disengaging and self-defeating ways that confirm the stereotype (Steele & Aronson, 1995). Aging stereotypes are found to be strong predictors of health and illness outcomes in later life, and are associated with performance in specific areas, mainly in cognitive and physical domains. The current study reviewed the experimental methods and their reported effects previously published in the literature to determine if there were different ABST methods were associated with different types of age-related outcomes. We conducted a systematic review, screening the scientific literature for papers that included experimental manipulation of age-related stereotypes as an independent variable, focusing on samples of older adults (1113 articles, most published after 2003). Through a classification of the common and distinctive characteristics of the different stereotype manipulation techniques, we were able to identify three specific types of experimental methods: by instruction, tests, and interpersonal exposure. Although the mechanism by which stereotypes are associated with functional outcomes in older adults remains unclear, our review suggests it is possible to experimentally control the activation of the stereotype by manipulating its specific characteristics and the way older participants are exposed to it. Findings also highlight the possibility that specific experimental methods used to induce ABST in older individuals may lead to unique and different consequences on functional performance variation.

The Malleability Narrative in Entertainment and Social Media: Explaining Pathways to Happiness in Media Content

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Vandenbosch ◽  
Steven Eggermont
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Communication Theory ◽  
Cultural Sociology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Popular Media ◽  
Media Representations ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Audience Research ◽  
Self Interest ◽  
Analytical Research

Abstract Media effects research has documented the prevalence of different ideals in media content, and their effects on media users. We developed a framework for the representation of such ideals, and that may increase our understanding of the effects media have on users' well-being. Drawing on cultural sociology, communication theory, and psychological literature, we introduce the malleability narrative of mediated ideals, described as “a collection of media representations of a variety of ideals that tend to be portrayed as within reach for anyone who is committed to pursuing his/her own self-interest.” The aim of the framework is to foster content analytical research on the occurrence of the malleability narrative in popular media and to stimulate audience research on interactions between media users and the malleability narrative in media, while taking account of different explanatory routes and the heterogeneity of the audience.

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 Digital Technology and Older People: Towards a Sociological Approach to Technology Adoption in Later Life

Sociology ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 003803852097558
Author(s):  
Barbara Barbosa Neves ◽  
Geoffrey Mead
Keyword(s):  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Older People ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Digital Inequality ◽  
Social Actors ◽  
Sociological Approach ◽  
Design Learning

Despite increasing social pressure to use new digital technologies, older people’s adoption of them remains below other age groups. This article contributes a sociological dimension to exploring what facilitates learning and using digital technology in later life. We focus on the understudied group of older people who are frail, living in care homes and most likely to be digitally excluded or restricted. Drawing on data from a longitudinal mixed methods study of a co-designed communication app for older people, we explore how attempts to bridge the ‘digital divide’ unfold in time. Using the concept of affordances, we show how adoption of a new communication technology is shaped by its design, learning contexts and surrounding social actors. With this work we contribute to novel sociological understandings of technology adoption that are critical for digital inequality research.

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.

How do cardiovascular risk prediction equations developed among 30–74 year olds perform in older age groups? A validation study in 125 000 people aged 75–89 years

2020 ◽  
pp. jech-2019-213466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suneela Mehta ◽  
Rod Jackson ◽  
Katrina Poppe ◽  
Andrew J Kerr ◽  
Romana Pylypchuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Risk Prediction ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Prediction Equations ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
New Zealanders

BackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction equations are being used to guide risk management among increasingly older individuals. We examined the performance of recent equations, derived from a 2006 cohort including almost all New Zealanders aged 30–74 years, among older people.MethodsAll New Zealanders aged 75–89 years in contact with state-funded health services in 2006 without prior CVD or heart failure and with complete predictor data were identified by anonymised individual-level linkage of eight national administrative health datasets. Baseline 5-year CVD risk was estimated using sex-specific New Zealand risk equations, and CVD hospitalisations or deaths occurring between 2007 and 2011 inclusive were ascertained. Performance was assessed with calibration plots and standard metrics.ResultsAmong 124 358 New Zealanders aged 75–89 years old, 30 152 CVD events were recorded during follow-up. Sex-specific equations derived from 30–74 year olds slightly underestimated CVD risk among women and slightly overestimated risk among men aged 75–89 years. Discrimination metrics were poor in both sexes and the risk equations explained only 9.4% of the variation in time to CVD event among women and 6.0% for men. In the 5-year age bands, progressively worsening underprediction in women, overprediction in men and poorer performance metrics were observed with increasing age.ConclusionEntire-population CVD risk equations developed among 30–74 year olds do not perform well among older people. Existing risk algorithms developed from primarily middle-aged or early-retirement cohorts should be used with caution in those aged ≥75 years until carefully validated in narrow age bands to avoid masking poorer performance in older age groups.

The mobilities of care in later life: exploring the relationship between caring and mobility in the lives of older people

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Karen Croucher ◽  
Rose Gilroy ◽  
Mark Bevan ◽  
Katia Attuyer
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Older People ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Life Transitions ◽  
The North ◽  
Care And Support ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Per Se ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract There has been a renewed call for a revaluing of informal caring in order to counter the way that caring is undervalued, taken for granted and invisible. Travel is one area where a detailed critique of this issue has emerged with the concept of ‘mobility of care’, however, this concept has only been applied in relation to younger age groups, and our understanding of mobilities of care in later life remains underdeveloped. By ‘mobilities of care’ we mean journeys made for the purpose of giving and receiving informal care and support. This paper draws on the mobility narratives of 99 older people (aged 55 and above) living in three locations in the North of England who participated in a two-year qualitative longitudinal study that explored the inter-play between mobility, wellbeing and life transitions. We focused on the experience of managing life transitions rather than assume that chronology per se determines wellbeing. Narratives of ageing emphasise the importance of getting out and about, and being socially connected active citizens. Our study demonstrates that for many older people getting out and about is not for leisure or utility purposes but to give support and care. As such, these journeys have a particular significance in the lives of older people and in the construction of roles, meaning and identity in later life.

scholarly journals A Creative Writing Workshop on Sexuality and Ageing: A Spanish Pilot Case Study

Societies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Ieva Stončikaitė ◽  
Núria Mina-Riera
Keyword(s):  
Creative Writing ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Initial Hypothesis ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

Negative stereotypes about old age abound in our present-day society, which often considers older people as sexually incapable or even asexual. On the other hand, active ageing ideologies foster the practice of sex in later life as a sign of healthy and active ageing. The aim of this pilot case study was to examine the impact that poetry on sexuality, ageing and creativity had on older individuals. In total eight participants, aged 49–76, participated in a workshop offered by the University of Lleida (Spain). The initial hypothesis was that the participants, following the example set by the poems, would produce pieces of creative writing in which they voiced their own concerns and experiences about sexuality in later life from the distance that metaphor grants. While some of the participants’ writings engaged with the poems that deal with sexuality in older age, none of the participants’ creative pieces contained explicit instances of sexual experiences. The analysis of the participants’ creative pieces suggests that: first, they regard intimacy in older age as essential; and second, their unwillingness to write about sexuality in older age is partly rooted in their upbringing during Franco’s dictatorial regime, in which sexuality for non-reproductive aims was constructed as immoral.

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