Loneliness in later life: a cross-sectional survey analysis of place-based factors in Ireland

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Gibney ◽  
Tara Moore ◽  
Sinead Shannon
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
World Health ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Environments

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the age-friendliness of local environments and self-reported loneliness for a representative sample of community-dwelling adults aged 55+ in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach Data were from the Healthy and Positive Ageing Initiative Age friendly Cities and Counties Survey (n=10,540) (2016). Several age friendly indicators, as proposed by World Health Organisation, were included in this study: outdoor spaces and buildings; access to social services; social participation; respect and social inclusion; and transport. Loneliness was measured using five items from the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Informed by an ecological approach to ageing, multi-level negative binomial regression models were used to investigate the association between each age friendly indicator and social loneliness. Models were adjusted for known demographic, socio-economic and health correlates of loneliness. Findings Average loneliness scores were significantly higher for those in poorer health, who lived alone, were materially deprived and those never or formerly married. Lower ratings and poorer outcomes for several interrelated age friendly place-based factors were significantly associated with higher loneliness scores: difficulty with transport, difficulty accessing social services, barriers to community activities, lower social engagement, and experiences and perceptions of ageism in the community; however, the effect sizes were small. Originality/value This study identified several modifiable age friendly features of local environments that are associated with loneliness in this older population. The results of this study can inform coordinated local and national efforts to enhance the age-friendliness of local environments and reduce the risk and experience of loneliness among the ageing population in Ireland.

Reclaiming Social Space: Adapting Neighbourhoods to Support an Ageing Population

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Lisa McClintock
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Age In Place ◽  
Creative Solutions ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Unique Potential

<p>The age structure of New Zealand’s population is expected to undergo a dramatic change in the next few decades. By 2050, it is thought that approximately one quarter of the population will be aged 65+.  Research indicates that the overwhelming preference of older adults is to age in their own homes and communities if possible. However, loneliness among community-dwelling older adults is widespread.   Architecture as a discipline has unique potential to critique existing neighbourhood design and generate creative solutions to provide a more socially fulfilling environment for residents to age in place. Architecture for ageing must combat loneliness and enable continued contact in later life.   This research explores the sensitive adaptation of inner suburban Wellington neighbourhoods with the aim of empowering inhabitants to age positively in the community.</p>

scholarly journals Isolated or integrated? Evaluation of ageing-friendly communities in Old Beijing City based on accessibility, social inclusion and equity

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Wang ◽  
Peiwen He ◽  
Congcong Yuan ◽  
Shunyi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
World Health ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Beijing City ◽  
Public Facilities ◽  
Old City

Due to a rapidly growing ageing population, China is experiencing a rapid urbanisation, resulting in the uneven construction of public facilities. Therefore, the elderly have disproportionate access to public facilities and services. These problems are much more serious in old cities because of a fierce contradiction between society and land use. However, elderly populations are significant to the old city because they are the soul of the old city. Importantly, the old city is a container of memories of their lives as well as an environment they are acquainted with and unwilling to leave. Therefore, whether the urban space in the old city is ageing-friendly and whether the elderly are isolated or integrated in the current urban environment are questions addressed by this study. Based on the World Health Organization’s concept of an elderly-friendly city, this study constructed an elderly-friendly urban space evaluation system based on accessibility, social inclusiveness and equity and analysed four types of ageing facilities in 25 blocks of Old Beijing City. The results showed that the ageing resources in Old Beijing City are insufficient and uneven, and revealed that the development of the old city has a positive impact on the construction of an elderly-friendly community.

Investment will drive solid Taiwanese growth in 2020

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Trade Diversion ◽  
The United States ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
China Trade ◽  
Growth Prospects ◽  
Economic Partnership ◽  
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ◽  
The Impact

Subject Taiwan growth prospects. Significance Taiwan’s GDP grew by 3.38% year-on-year in October-December 2019. This is an acceleration from 2.6% year-on-year growth in the second quarter to 3.0% in the third. Consumer spending has grown steadily, while investment reshoring and exports to the United States have grown even more strongly due to trade diversion designed to mitigate the impact of US-China trade tensions. Impacts Taiwan is not currently part of the Asia Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and its exclusion may limit its trade opportunities. If Taiwan learns from Japan’s experience of adjusting to an ageing population, automated social services could emerge as leading sectors. The president has a renewed mandate to introduce reforms aimed at raising wages and creating jobs, especially in high-skill industries.

Housing suitable for an ageing population

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 204-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Housing Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Age In Place ◽  
Family House ◽  
Health And Well Being

Purpose The older population is growing but there is too little housing being built and very little suits their needs. The purpose of this paper is to describe what is on offer now and looks at the viability of the chalet bungalow as a desirable, affordable option which could attract older people to downsize from a family house. Design/methodology/approach This is a viewpoint piece. Findings An age-friendly dwelling is one where all types of people can age in place. Traditionally the bungalow fulfilled this niche however as more pressure is put on land and its value the style has gone out of favour. Whereas at the top end of the market developers are offering large cottages with a reception room that can be used as a ground floor bedroom the less well off owner occupier is not catered for until they need care. The dwindling supply of suitable properties has led to older people feeling trapped in homes too big for their needs at a time when there is a chronic shortage of family houses. This leads to poor health and well-being and a later life move into expensive housing with care. Originality/value Mainstream developers have avoided building bungalows because single storey dwellings are “land hungry”. This paper reviews a chalet bungalow solution which can be built to a greater density and is of a size and style that is age friendly, future proof and affordable. This message if more widely disseminated could help solve the housing crisis.

Information activities in serious leisure as a catalyst for self-actualisation and social engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazdan Mansourian
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Cultural Policy ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Serious Leisure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range

PurposeThis paper reports findings from a research project about human information behaviour in the context of serious leisure. Various forms of information activities in this context have been identified and categorised to depict common patterns of information seeking, sharing, using and producing.Design/methodology/approachThe project adopted a qualitative approach in an interpretive paradigm using a thematic analysis method. Data-collection technique was semi-structured interview and 20 volunteers were recruited via a maximum variation sampling strategy. The collected data was transcribed and thematically analysed to identify the main concepts and categories.FindingsThe participants have been experiencing six qualities of serious leisure during their long-term engagement with their hobbies or voluntary jobs and their experiences can be fully mapped onto the serious leisure perspective. The findings also confirmed serious leisure is a unique context in terms of the diversity of information activities embedded into a wide range of individual and collective actions in this context. Information seeking and sharing in serious leisure is not only a source of personal satisfaction for the participants, it also can provide them with a sense of purpose in a meaningful journey towards self-actualization and social inclusion.Research limitations/implicationsThe generalisability of the findings needs to be examined in wider populations. Nonetheless, the existing findings can be useful for follow-up research in the area.Practical implicationsThis study will be useful in both policy and practice levels. In the policy level, it will be beneficial for cultural policy makers to gain a better understanding about the nature of leisure activities. In the practice level, it will be helpful for serious leisure participants to understand the value of information seeking and sharing in their leisure endeavours. Also, information professionals can use it to enhance the quality of their services for the serious leisure participants who are usually among devoted patrons of libraries, museums, archives and galleries.Social implicationsLearning about serious leisure can provide new insights on people preferences in terms of choosing different entertaining and recreational pursuits – such as indoor and outdoor hobbies – in their free time.Originality/valueThe informational aspects of serious leisure is an emerging and evolving ground of research. This paper provides empirical evidence on this topic from a specific context in the regional areas in Australia.

An ageing world and the challenges for a model of sustainable social change

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 464-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Angeloni ◽  
Elio Borgonovi
Keyword(s):  
Social Change ◽  
Older People ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Mandatory Retirement ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Main Challenge

Purpose – Although the world is rapidly ageing, the alarming explosion of youth unemployment seems to have removed the workforce ageing issue as a priority from the policy agenda. The purpose of this paper is to test and investigate the main needs and willingness to work among the older population, as well as the main advantages for organizations employing older workers. Design/methodology/approach – The main research objectives were: first, to explore the effect of demographic and socio-economic predictors on an older person’s intention to work; and second, to focus on the main advantages that should induce organizations to retain older workers in their workplace. The paper is based on a survey and an interdisciplinary review of the literature. Findings – The study indicated that educational level led to improved active behaviours in the labour market. In other words, people who obtained a higher level of education showed a greater likelihood to desire a prolongation of working life, while lower educational attainment may have lessened the willingness and capacity of older people to remain in the workforce. The main benefits for organizations with older workers are highlighted. Research limitations/implications – The survey has a number of limitations: the sample is small and was completed with reference to a single country, making it difficult to generalize results beyond this country study; the questionnaire relied solely on a few areas, while it would be better to gather additional information; the survey only targeted retired people, while it would have been interesting to also collect answers from workers nearing retirement. The association between individuals’ educational levels and their intention to work in later life suggests that continued development of educational programmes for workers could favour greater retention in the workplace. Practical implications – As the ageing population is an increasing phenomenon, the participation of older people in the labour force and lifelong learning should become commonplace in the perspective of a more equitable society. The main challenge is to rethink retirement, by abolishing the mandatory retirement age and by providing more flexible work options. Social implications – Changes in national system and corporate strategies are required to meet the economic challenges of ageing populations. Originality/value – This study advances research on age management because it provided evidence that educational background plays a fundamental role in determining the willingness to return to work. In addition, the paper proposes a new integrated approach of sustainable social change.

scholarly journals Healthcare support to older residents of care homes: a systematic review of specialist services

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Clarkson ◽  
Rebecca Hays ◽  
Sue Tucker ◽  
Katie Paddock ◽  
David Challis
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older People ◽  
Relative Effectiveness ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Healthcare Needs

Purpose A growing ageing population with complex healthcare needs is a challenge to the organisation of healthcare support for older people residing in care homes. The lack of specialised healthcare support for care home residents has resulted in poorer outcomes, compared with community-dwelling older people. However, little is known about the forms, staff mix, organisation and delivery of such services for residents’ physical healthcare needs. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This systematic review, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, aimed to provide an overview of the range of healthcare services delivered to care homes and to identify core features of variation in their organisation, activities and responsibilities. The eligibility criteria for studies were services designed to address the physical healthcare needs of older people, permanently residing in care homes, with or without nursing. To search the literature, terms relating to care homes, healthcare and older people, across ten electronic databases were used. The quality of service descriptions was appraised using a rating tool designed for the study. The evidence was synthesised, by means of a narrative summary, according to key areas of variation, into models of healthcare support with examples of their relative effectiveness. Findings In total, 84 studies, covering 74 interventions, identified a diverse range of specialist healthcare support services, suggesting a wide variety of ways of delivering healthcare support to care homes. These fell within five models: assessment – no consultant; assessment with consultant; assessment/management – no consultant; assessment/management with consultant; and training and support. The predominant model offered a combination of assessment and management. Overall, there was a lack of detail in the data, making judgements of relative effectiveness difficult. Recommendations for future research include the need for clearer descriptions of interventions and particularly of data on resident-level costs and effectiveness, as well as better explanations of how services are implemented (review registration: PROSPERO CRD42017081161). Originality/value There is considerable debate about the best means of providing healthcare to older people in care homes. A number of specialist initiatives have developed and this review seeks to bring these together in a comparative approach deriving models of care of value to policy makers and commissioners.

Health transition in India: does data on causes of death reveal trends, patterns and determinants?

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gopal Agrawal
Keyword(s):  
Causes Of Death ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Heart Diseases ◽  
Moving Average ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
World Health ◽  
Epidemiologic Transition ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nutritional Conditions

Purpose – Twenty-first century has dawned with substantial achievements in population health outcome indicators in India. However, very little is known on patterns in causes of death in India. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, data was drawn from two sources namely, National Family Health Survey (NFHS-1, 1992-1993 and NFHS-2, 1998-1999) and published reports of Survey of Cause of Death (Rural). Three-years moving average causes-of-death estimates were calculated based on World Health Organization classification of causes of death. Negative binomial regression models were fitted to capture the effect of socio-demographic and behavioural determinants of patterns in causes of death. Findings – The leading causes of death were heart diseases, tuberculosis, asthma, paralysis, prematurity and cancer. Three-fifth of the deaths to children under the age of ten was from communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions. On the other hand, about two-third persons aged 45 years and above were dying from non-communicable diseases. Female were at greater risk of dying from non-communicable diseases (IRR: 1.22, 95 per cent CI: 1.11-1.34, p < 0.001). Research limitations/implications – The epidemiologic transition in India has produced a shift in mortality from communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions to non-communicable diseases, with little or no role played by injuries regardless of the level of all-cause mortality. Coupled with the effects of population age structures, other factors were also responsible for the bulk of the inter-regional disparities. These factors include differences in the populations’ health risks associated with the natural or built environments, prevalence of behavioural risk factors, or gaps in the capacities of health systems to respond to specific disease challenges, social stratification and others. Originality/value – This paper described the trends, patterns and geographic variability in India’s causes-of-death profile in terms of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases and injuries, and socio-economic and demographic determinants of patterns in the profile.

scholarly journals Nationwide evidence that education disrupts the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (31) ◽  
pp. e2103896118
Author(s):  
Signe Hald Andersen ◽  
Leah S. Richmond-Rakerd ◽  
Terrie E. Moffitt ◽  
Avshalom Caspi
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Administrative Databases ◽  
Western World ◽  
Social Disparities ◽  
Protective Services ◽  
Health And Social Services

Despite overall improvements in health and living standards in the Western world, health and social disadvantages persist across generations. Using nationwide administrative databases linked for 2.1 million Danish citizens, we leveraged a three-generation approach to test whether multiple, different health and social disadvantages—poor physical health, poor mental health, social welfare dependency, criminal offending, and Child Protective Services involvement—were transmitted within families and whether education disrupted these statistical associations. Health and social disadvantages concentrated, aggregated, and accumulated within a small, high-need segment of families: Adults who relied disproportionately on multiple, different health and social services tended to have parents who relied disproportionately on multiple, different health and social services and tended to have children who evidenced risk for disadvantage at an early age, through appearance in protective services records. Intra- and intergenerational comparisons were consistent with the possibility that education disrupted this transmission. Within families, siblings who obtained more education were at a reduced risk for later-life disadvantage compared with their cosiblings who obtained less education, despite shared family background. Supporting the education potential of the most vulnerable citizens might mitigate the multigenerational transmission of multiple disadvantages and reduce health and social disparities.

A sense of dignity in later life: a qualitative study on the views of older women migrants from minoritised backgrounds

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roiyah Saltus ◽  
Christalla Pithara
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Minority Ethnic

Purpose – Research evidence indicates the need for studies that explore the salience of dignity from the perspective of older people from a range of ethno-linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Drawing findings from a mixed-methods study on social-care expectations of community-dwelling older women from black and minority-ethnic backgrounds, the purpose of this paper is to explore the interrelationships between life-course events (such as migration) and the roles adopted by the women throughout their lives, which shaped their understanding of dignity. Design/methodology/approach – Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 32 older women in Wales were conducted in the participants’ first languages. The interview schedule was developed, piloted and peer-reviewed; it covered the themes of migration, perceptions of dignity, dignity in later life, perceptions of care and care with dignity. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. This paper focuses on what dignity meant to older women and how a sense of dignity was fostered in later life. Findings – For the participants, a sense of dignity in later life was shaped by migration to the UK, and their shifting, transnational understanding of growing old in the UK and of the perceived worth and value of the roles they played. Although some women also saw other platforms (such as work and their status as professionals) as being of importance, a sense of purpose fostered in their roles as wives, mothers and grandmothers, and as mentors and guardians of cultural knowledge, underpinned their understanding of dignity, and reinforced their sense of acknowledgement and worth. Fostered from an early age through interactions with the family and close community (religious, cultural or ethnic), respect for older people was revealed to remain a key element of the participants’ personal and cultural value systems, as were the ways in which respect should be both earned and manifested. The sense of heightened vulnerability, because of advancing age, and the impact of cumulative negative encounters and racialised micro-aggressions, were real and pressing. Practical implications – Given the changing demographic of the older population throughout Europe and the world, there is a need to raise awareness among policy makers and practitioners of the importance of dignity from a range of perspectives – providing first-hand accounts that bring these to life, and data that can be used to help develop effective interventions. Originality/value – This paper adds to the understanding of dignity from a transnational, multi-ethnic perspective; the potential impact of multiple social positions (being old, being a woman, being a migrant and being from a minority-ethnic group) on the perception of being treated and regarded as important and valuable; and the need to raise awareness among policy makers and practitioners of the importance of dignity from a range of perspectives, providing first-hand accounts that bring these to life and that can be used to help develop effective social-care interventions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document