scholarly journals The social relationships of three generations identified as disabled in childhood

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 519-550
Author(s):  
Samantha Parsons ◽  
Lucinda Platt
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Outcomes ◽  
Friendship Networks ◽  
Childhood Disability ◽  
Three Generations ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Life Course

Social isolation and loneliness have received substantial attention for their impacts on well-being and mortality. Both social isolation and loneliness can be experienced by anyone across the life course, but some are more vulnerable than others. One risk factor for poorer social outcomes is disability. We draw on data from three longitudinal studies, the National Child Development Study (Great Britain), Next Steps (England) and the Millennium Cohort Study (UK) to compare social relationships across three generations, born between 1958 and 2000/02 in countries of the UK. We examine social relationships at different life stages and how they differ between those who were and were not identified as disabled when they were teenagers. Adjusting for family background and educational attainment, which are associated with both disability and poorer social outcomes, we identify the long-term consequences of childhood disability for risks of social isolation among the older cohort. For the younger cohorts, we evaluate early indications of such patterns. We find substantially smaller intimate and friendship networks, and lower perceived social support among 50-year-olds who were disabled in childhood. Today’s disabled youth and teenagers also experience greater social isolation and risks of loneliness than their non-disabled contemporaries.

scholarly journals Developing a New Conceptual Framework of Meaningful Interaction for Understanding Social Isolation and Loneliness

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Andrea Wigfield ◽  
Royce Turner ◽  
Sarah Alden ◽  
Marcus Green ◽  
Vinal K. Karania
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Societal Issues ◽  
Measurement Framework ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Meaningful Interaction ◽  
Academic Debate

Academic debate about social isolation and loneliness, and their adverse health and well-being implications, has resulted in many policy and programme interventions directed towards reducing both, especially among older people. However, definitions of the two concepts, their measurement, and the relationship between the two are not clearly articulated. This article redresses this and draws on theoretical constructs adapted from symbolic interactionism, together with the Good Relations Measurement Framework, developed for the Equality and Human Rights Commission in the UK, to challenge the way in which social isolation and loneliness are currently understood. It argues for a need to understand experiences of social relationships, particularly those which facilitate meaningful interaction, suggesting that opportunities and barriers to meaningful interaction are determined by wider societal issues. This is set out in a new conceptual framework which can be applied across the life course and facilitates a new discourse for understanding these challenging concepts.

scholarly journals Loneliness and Health

Psychology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aparna Shankar
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risky Health Behaviors ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults ◽  
Health Studies ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Perceived Social Isolation

In January 2018, the UK became the first country in the world to appoint a Minister for Loneliness. This highlights growing concerns about loneliness in societies, and its deleterious effects on individual health and well-being. Loneliness or perceived social isolation is a subjective experience relating to dissatisfaction with one’s social relationships. Most research has focused on the experience of loneliness in old age, but levels of loneliness are also known to be high among teenagers and young adults. While poor health may be associated with increased feelings of loneliness, there is now considerable evidence on the role of loneliness as a risk factor for poor mental and physical health. Studies suggest that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of developing dementia and chronic diseases, and also with a higher rate of Mortality. Risky Health Behaviors, a poor cardiovascular profile, and compromised immune functioning have all been proposed as potential pathways through which loneliness may affect health. However, much still remains to be understood about these Mechanisms. This bibliography starts with a section on chapters and reviews that provide a theoretical basis for understanding the associations between social relationships and health, as well as some reviews of the Health Effects of loneliness. This is followed by sections that focus on specific outcomes, health effects (mortality, general health and physical function, cognitive function and Mental Health), and Healthcare Utilization. The subsequent section examines research into the pathways through which loneliness affects health. The final section examines interventions to reduce loneliness and the associated effects on health outcomes.

scholarly journals A MIXED METHODS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF COMMUNITY-BASED GROUPS FOR SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS IN OLDER PEOPLE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S856-S856
Author(s):  
Brenda A Hayanga ◽  
Dylan Kneale ◽  
Ann Phoenix
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Friendship Networks ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Course Experiences ◽  
The Uk

Abstract In the UK, many older people from minoritised ethnic groups are vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness. Yet, we know little about which interventions are effective for them. With existing systematic reviews of social isolation and loneliness lacking a theory-based framework of their life-course experiences, we set out to address this gap. This review aims to explore the effectiveness and suitability of community-based group interventions (CBGIs) for social isolation and loneliness in older people. The decision to focus on CBGIs was based on findings from an exploratory study of the friendship networks of older people and narrative interviews with older minoritised people living in the UK. The findings suggested that community groups of shared interests/backgrounds were protective of social isolation and loneliness. To address the objectives, we searched for randomised controlled trials and process evaluations of CBGIs published in English, which included older people living in countries with membership to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. We identified 4791 studies, 36 of which were eligible for inclusion. In this poster, we present the preliminary findings of this mixed-methods systematic review, which seeks to not only assess whether CBGIs are effective but also to understand the underlying processes that make interventions (in)effective. As this review is guided by findings from two exploratory studies with older people from minoritised ethnic groups, it takes into account their life-course experiences. It is the results of reviews such as this that can produce generalisable findings which are directly applicable to policy.

scholarly journals SOCIAL ISOLATION, LONELINESS, AND MEN'S HEALTH

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S213-S213
Author(s):  
Harry O Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Men ◽  
Men’S Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Men's Health ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
The Social ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract Strong and fulfilling relationships are important components of men’s health and well-being across the life course; however, social isolation and loneliness are important but under-assessed conditions among older men. This is important to note because older men often subscribe to common masculinity themes regarding independence and self-sufficiency which places them at greater risk for social isolation and loneliness in comparison to older women. The purpose of this presentation is to review the social isolation and loneliness literature specifically among older men by 1) discussing gender differences, and the potential mechanisms behind these differences, in social isolation and loneliness, 2) examining health, behavioral and physiological effects of social isolation and loneliness specifically among older men, and 3) providing future research directions for understanding social isolation and loneliness among older men including understanding social isolation and loneliness and their associative outcomes among diverse samples of older men.

scholarly journals Social Telepresence Robots: A Narrative Review of Experiments Involving Older Adults before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3597
Author(s):  
Baptiste Isabet ◽  
Maribel Pino ◽  
Manon Lewis ◽  
Samuel Benveniste ◽  
Anne-Sophie Rigaud
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Multidimensional Analysis ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Telepresence Robots

Social isolation is a common phenomenon among the elderly. Retirement, widowhood, and increased prevalence of chronic diseases in this age group lead to a decline in social relationships, which in turn has adverse consequences on health and well-being. The coronavirus COVID-19 crisis worsened this situation, raising interest for mobile telepresence robots (MTR) that would help create, maintain, and strengthen social relationships. MTR are tools equipped with a camera, monitor, microphone, and speaker, with a body on wheels that allows for remote-controlled and sometimes autonomous movement aiming to provide easy access to assistance and networking services. We conducted a narrative review of literature describing experimental studies of MTR involving elderly people over the last 20 years, including during the COVID-19 period. The aim of this review was to examine whether MTR use was beneficial for reducing loneliness and social isolation among older adults at home and in health and care institutions and to examine the current benefits and barriers to their use and implementation. We screened 1754 references and included 24 research papers focusing on the usability, acceptability, and effectiveness of MTR. News reports on MTR use during the COVID-19 period were also examined. A qualitative, multidimensional analysis methodology inspired by a health technology assessment model was used to identify facilitating and limiting factors and investigate if and how MTR could reduce social isolation in elderly people. Reviewed studies provide encouraging evidence that MTR have potential in this regard, as experiments report positive feedback on MTR design and core functionalities. However, our analysis also points to specific technical, ergonomic, and ethical challenges that remain to be solved, highlighting the need for further multidimensional research on the design and impact of MTR interventions for older adults and building on new insights gained during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals THE ISOLATION OF OLDER ADULTS: A COMPARISON OF JAPANESE GENDERS AND HOUSEHOLDS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S528-S528
Author(s):  
Keiko Katagiri
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
White Paper ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Single Male ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract As the aging population increases, large changes have occurred among household structures in Japan. Half of older adults lived with their children’s families in 1980. Now around 60 percent of them live by themselves: 27% in single households and 31% as older couples alone. Older adults in single households are said to be at higher risk of social isolation. A Japanese white paper reported that they had scanty of social interactions compared to other types of households. This study examines differences in the social relationships and health statuses among household types by gender and explores the risk factors of social isolation. Nationally representative 2012 Japanese Social Survey data were used for analyses; a subsample comprised participants aged 60 to 74 years. A series of ANCOVAs were conducted. The distribution of the gender and household types were single male 105 (10.0%), married male 387 (36.8%), single female 180 (17.1%), and married female 381 (36.2%); the main effects were being female and married. An interaction effect between them (single males were less happy than married males) was observed. Neighborhood relationships were better among females and married participants. Married participants were more active in community meetings, social participation, and volunteering. However, no difference was observed in social network size. Thus, network size alone was not related to social isolation, but being active in social relationships and the quality of relationships influenced social isolation and well-being. Being married and female may facilitate higher quality relationships and may lead to activity and buffer social isolation.

scholarly journals Emotional Robots

GeroPsych ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Klein ◽  
Lone Gaedt ◽  
Glenda Cook
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Therapeutic Activity ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Uk

As societies age overall, there will necessarily be a significant increase of those over 80 as well as an increase in people with dementia. We know that loneliness increases with old age, and those living with dementia are particularly at risk of social isolation. Also in advanced old age opportunities for sensory stimulation and engagement in pleasurable activities are reduced. The question is which technologies can be used to extend the range of available interventions that can enhance well-being under these circumstances. Emotional robots have been developed for activity and therapeutic purposes. This article explores the experiences with the emotional robot Paro in Denmark, Germany, and the UK, and provides principles of this robot as an activity or as a therapeutic activity.

scholarly journals Understanding the friendship networks of older Black and Minority Ethnic people living in the United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Hayanga ◽  
Dylan Kneale ◽  
Ann Phoenix
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Friendship Networks ◽  
White People ◽  
Family Networks ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Minority Ethnic

Abstract Older Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people living in the United Kingdom (UK) are vulnerable to the experiences of social isolation and loneliness. Despite this, it is widely assumed that they adhere to traditional family practices and living arrangements that protect them from social isolation and loneliness. Such assumptions are problematic and can reify family networks as the main area of research for older BME people to the detriment of friendship networks which are also crucial. However, few researchers have explored this area. With the older BME population increasing at a faster rate than the older white population, further research is needed. Utilising data from Wave 6 of Understanding Society (N = 7,499, 4.3% of whom self-identified as BME), this study explores the ways in which the friendship networks of older BME people differ compared to older white people using logistic regression analyses. After controlling for potential confounding socio-demographic characteristics, older BME people were more likely to report having fewer close friends and fewer friends who live locally, suggesting that their friendship networks may be restricted in quantity and accessibility. Not only do these findings raise important questions about the varying needs of older minority ethnic people who have been largely overlooked in recent government policy, but they also highlight the continuing challenges of using large-scale surveys to research older BME people in the UK.

scholarly journals Television in Young Children’s Social Relationships

2005 ◽  
pp. 75-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mira Roine ◽  
Satu Valkonen ◽  
Anja Riitta Lahikainen
Keyword(s):  
Social Relationships ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Television Programs ◽  
Tv Viewing ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
The Family ◽  
Interview Methods ◽  
The Media ◽  
Media Reception

Our aim is to highlight the role played by television in pre-school-aged childrens social relationships. We moreover examine how social relationships are related to childrens capabilities to cope with their television fears.Children aged 5 to 6 (N=309) were interviewed in three Finnish university cities using previously developed interview methods. Parents (N=297) completed four questionnaires covering family background, TV viewing habits, psychiatric well-being and quality and quantity of the childs sleep. Television viewing by pre-school-aged children was quite social in nature, although our qualitative data suggested that television was sometimes also used in asocial ways. Co-viewing within the family was common, whereas peer groups signi? cance in the media reception process was evident after the viewing situation, in childrens games based on television programs. 62% of children reported at least one television fear. However, it seems that the presence of family members may help children to cope with television fears.

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