scholarly journals A gradual separation from the world: a qualitative exploration of existential loneliness in old age

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam Carr ◽  
Chao Fang
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Retirement Communities ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Existential Loneliness ◽  
The World ◽  
Physical Touch ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Qualitative Exploration

This study sought to qualitatively explore experiences of existential loneliness (EL) in 80 older people living in retirement communities across the UK and Australia. Qualitative semi-structured interviews permitted in-depth exploration of issues such as biographical narrative, close relationships, loss, feelings of loneliness, and retirement living. It was our intention to conduct a large-scale, deep listening exercise that would provide further clues about existential loneliness in older people and the circumstances that give rise to such feelings. Data provided rich insight into older people’s inner lives. Core themes identified loss of close attachments, lack of physical touch and intimacy, deterioration of health and body, and lack of an emotional language through which to express EL as central to older people’s experiences. Furthermore, there was a suggestion that the move to retirement living was for many people inextricably connected to their experience of EL. Our data further support and extend the notion that EL can be thought of as a gradual sense of separation from the world and that ageing intensifies a myriad of social, emotional, and physical circumstances that prompt its emergence. This sense of existential isolation need not be thought of as exclusive to those experiencing extreme frailty or who face death imminently – our data pointed to a clear and gradual emergence of EL throughout later life.

scholarly journals A gradual separation from the world: a qualitative exploration of existential loneliness in old age

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Sam Carr ◽  
Chao Fang
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Retirement Communities ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Existential Loneliness ◽  
The World ◽  
Physical Touch ◽  
Qualitative Exploration

Abstract This study sought to explore qualitatively experiences of existential loneliness (EL) in 80 older people living in retirement communities across the United Kingdom and Australia. Qualitative semi-structured interviews permitted in-depth exploration of issues such as biographical narrative, close relationships, loss, feelings of loneliness and retirement living. It was our intention to conduct a large-scale, deep-listening exercise that would provide further clues about EL in older people and the circumstances that give rise to such feelings. Data provided rich insight into older people's inner lives. Core themes identified loss of close attachments, lack of physical touch and intimacy, deterioration of health and body, and lack of an emotional language through which to express EL as central to older people's experiences. Furthermore, there was a suggestion that the move to retirement living was for many people inextricably connected to their experience of EL. Our data further support and extend the notion that EL can be thought of as a gradual sense of separation from the world and that ageing intensifies a myriad of social, emotional and physical circumstances that prompt its emergence. This sense of existential isolation need not be thought of as exclusive to those experiencing extreme frailty or who face death imminently – our data pointed to a clear and gradual emergence of EL throughout later life.

scholarly journals ‘They’re Going to Die at Some Point, but We’re all Going to Die’ – A Qualitative Exploration of Bereavement in Later Life

2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110530
Author(s):  
Chao Fang ◽  
Sam Carr
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Older People ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Self ◽  
Dynamic Responses ◽  
Retirement Communities ◽  
Literate Culture ◽  
Qualitative Exploration ◽  
Depth Interviews

This article reports on a qualitative study to investigate what bereavement means to older people. Drawing upon 80 in-depth interviews collected from eight British and Australian retirement communities, our study revealed that facing bereavement while ageing includes experiences of losing both others and the wholeness of the self. Core themes identified how the experience of losing others can be compounded by ageing-related challenges, undermining older people’s defence from bereavement and frustrating their fundamental meaning and being. The older people’s dynamic responses were also captured, highlighting the importance of supporting their agency to deal with the deeper pain of loss. By extending the concept of bereavement in later life, we also called for a more grief literate culture to mitigate the multifaceted and often deeper distresses of bereavement that older people may face alongside ageing.

scholarly journals Mapping Digital Diasporas @ BBC World Service: Users and Uses of the Persian and Arabic Websites

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Gillespie ◽  
Hugh Mackay ◽  
Matilda Andersson
Keyword(s):  
Communication Networks ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Transnational Communities ◽  
Geographically Dispersed ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Service Staff ◽  
The World ◽  
Transnational Communication ◽  
The Uk

AbstractThis article presents research on two key BBC World Service websites, BBC Persian Online and BBC Arabic Online. It draws on in-house BBC data, supplemented by our own semi-structured interviews with online editors and other key World Service staff. It examines where users of the two sites are located, their demographic characteristics and their views on and uses of the sites. The data is analyzed in the context of debates about the politics of diasporic media and communication networks and changing collective identities, the UK government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) strategy of 'digital diplomacy' and the World Service's stated public purpose of fostering a 'global conversation.' Our research has shown how the majority of users of both BBC Arabic and Persian Online services reside outside the geographical areas that the BBC World Service targets and may be defined as diasporic. And these two websites are not exceptional. Diasporic groups make increasing use of the BBC's online foreign language news sites but these transnational communication networks are an unintended consequence of the BBC's activities. We highlight how the internet is changing configurations of audiences and users at the BBC World Service as geographically dispersed language groups can log on to the news services from anywhere in the world. We argue that the BBC World Service can no longer be seen as an international broadcaster pursuing the BBC's motto 'nation shall speak peace unto nation.' Rather, as one of the world's largest news providers, it is implicated in the formation of new kinds of transnational communities and communications which has as yet unforeseen consequences for national identifications and for strategies of public diplomacy.

Socio-economic disadvantage and poverty

2020 ◽  
pp. 105-114
Author(s):  
Alisoun Milne
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Economic Disadvantage ◽  
Fundamental Building Block ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Uk ◽  
State Pension ◽  
The Impact

Chapter 5 is the first of three chapters exploring the impact of age related risks affecting particular sub populations of older people. Socioeconomic disadvantage in later life tends to reflect a lifecourse status. It amplifies what is already present. In 2016/17 one million older people were living in poverty; an additional 1.2 million were living just above the poverty line. These numbers are rising. Those aged 85 years or over, frail older people, older women and single older people are particularly at risk. Poor older people are also more likely to live in poor housing and be exposed to fuel poverty. Being poor - and its concomitants - compromises mental health in a number of profound ways. It undermines an older person’s capacity to make choices, retain independence, save for a crisis, maintain social contacts and be digitally included. It is linked with worry, loss of control over life and shame. Poor older people are at heightened risk of isolation and loneliness, stress, anxiety and depression. The UK has a weak policy record, compared with other developed countries, of sustainably and coherently addressing poverty in later life. One of the cornerstones of doing so is a continued commitment to the basic state pension as a fundamental building block of a secure old age. Addressing poor housing is also pivotal.

scholarly journals Experiences of neighbourhood exclusion and inclusion among older people living in deprived inner-city areas in Belgium and England

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
TINE BUFFEL ◽  
CHRIS PHILLIPSON ◽  
THOMAS SCHARF
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Inner City ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Community Change ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Place And Space

ABSTRACTThis article explores conceptual and empirical aspects of the social exclusion/inclusion debate in later life, with a particular focus on issues of place and space in urban settings. Exploratory findings are reported from two empirical studies in Belgium and England, which sought to examine experiences of social exclusion and inclusion among people aged 60 and over living in deprived inner-city neighbourhoods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with an ethnically diverse sample of 102 older people in Belgium and 124 in England. Thematic analysis of interview data identifies four issues in relation to the neighbourhood dimension of social exclusion/inclusion in later life: experiences of community change; feelings of security and safety; the management of urban space; and strategies of control. The results suggest that neighbourhoods have a significant influence on shaping the experience of exclusion and inclusion in later life, with a number of similarities identified across the different study areas. The article concludes by discussing conceptual and policy issues raised by the research.

scholarly journals Opportunities and barriers to business engagement in the UK domestic retrofit sector: An industry perspective

2020 ◽  
pp. 014362442097564
Author(s):  
Ben Butt ◽  
Rory V. Jones ◽  
Alba Fuertes
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Building Industry ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Market Growth ◽  
Barriers And Opportunities ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Industry Professionals ◽  
Significant Opportunity

This paper investigates the opportunities and barriers to business engagement in the UK domestic retrofit sector. There are approximately 28 million UK dwellings accounting for 30% of UK total energy consumption. Almost all of the existing housing stock will require some form of retrofit in order to meet the UK Government’s Net Zero emissions target by 2050. However, adoption has been much lower than required. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with industry professionals to investigate the key barriers and opportunities for businesses in the retrofit market. The results suggest that there is significant opportunity for businesses, but engagement has been suppressed by three main categories of barriers: (1) Those that cause lack of consumer demand; (2) Those that constrain retrofit projects, limiting their volume and scalability; (3) Those resulting from a lack of government will or direction. Business opportunity for retrofit was seen to extend globally, with substantial market growth possible. The paper suggests potential roles and solutions key stakeholders could take to achieve the volume of retrofit required. The findings should be of interest to all stakeholders who wish to overcome the multitude of barriers to business engagement in the retrofit sector and realise the potential opportunities. Practical application: This study aims to understand the barriers preventing the large-scale adoption of domestic retrofit in the UK in order to identify avenues for increasing business engagement in the sector. Potential areas believed to present significant opportunity for businesses when engaging in, developing and upscaling the retrofit process and solutions are highlighted. This paper should be of interest to building industry professionals already or wanting to undertake domestic retrofit works in future. The paper also gathers the views of current building industry professionals through semi-structured interviews providing an industry centric assessment of the sector’s challenges and possible solutions.

The role of autonomy in explaining mental ill-health and depression among older people in long-term care settings

2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 731-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
GERALDINE BOYLE
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Domiciliary Care ◽  
Private Households ◽  
National Service Framework ◽  
The Uk

This paper examines the extent of mental ill-health and probable depression among older people in long-term care. It presents selected findings from a study in Greater Belfast, Northern Ireland, that compared the quality of life, autonomy and mental health of older people living in nursing and residential homes with those of older people living in private households who were receiving domiciliary care. Structured interviews were conducted with 214 residents in institutions and 44 older people receiving domiciliary care. The study found that those in private households were more severely physically-impaired and had a higher level of mental ill-health than the residents of institutional homes. It is suggested, however, that the mental ill-health effects were associated less with physical impairments than with the restrictions placed on the older person's decisional autonomy, and that long-term care environments that constrain the older person's autonomy contribute to the development of depression. Although the UK National Service Framework for Older People specified that those with depression should be given treatment and support, priority should also be given to preventing the depression associated with living in long-term care settings.

Working towards successful retirement: older workers and retirees speaking about ageing, change and later life

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila J. Gewolb
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Older People ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Linguistic Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how older workers and people who have already retired speak about ageing and change and their experience of retirement. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study is described in which focus groups with older workers and semi-structured interviews with retired people were carried out. The recorded data were analysed using a linguistic approach (Discourse Analysis), which investigates in detail how people express their views and opinions and how their discourse might relate to societal attitudes towards ageing and retirement. Findings – Many older people who were still at work were concerned that they would decline and become senile once they retired unless they could remain active in some way. This was confirmed by people who had already retired and who spoke about how keeping busy and active had resulted in successful retirement and ageing. Research limitations/implications – Participants from four focus groups and five interview respondents represent only a small sample of older people who are still working or who are retired. This means that the results of this study cannot be extended to include all older workers and retired people. Social implications – This study will help to raise awareness of the concerns of older workers who may be nearing retirement, and how keeping busy and active after leaving work is considered by retirees to be part of successful retirement and helping to combat decline. Originality/value – A study of this nature which examines how older workers express their views about retirement using Discourse Analysis is original and may be used as a method for future research into other aspects of being older at work.

scholarly journals Perceptions of an Insufficient Government Response at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic are Associated with Lower Mental Well-Being

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiemo Fetzer ◽  
Marc Witte ◽  
Lukas Hensel ◽  
Jon Jachimowicz ◽  
Johannes Haushofer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Variation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Government Response ◽  
Country Level ◽  
The World ◽  
Large Scale Survey ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Mental Well Being

We conducted a large-scale survey covering 58 countries (N = 108,075) at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic—between March 20th and April 7th 2020—to explore how beliefs about citizens’ and government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the actions taken by governments, affected mental well-being. Our analyses reveal three findings. First, many respondents indicate that their country’s citizens and government’s response was insufficient. Second, respondents’ perception of an insufficient public and government response was associated with lower mental well-being. Third, we exploit time variation in country-level lockdown announcements, both around the world and through an event-study in the UK, and find that strong government actions—i.e., announcing a nationwide lockdown—were related to an improvement in respondents’ views of their fellow citizens and government, and to better mental well-being. These findings suggest that policy-makers may not only need to consider how their decisions affect the spread of COVID-19, but also how such choices influence the mental well-being of their population.

Older gay men in Hong Kong and later life concerns: Identities matter?

Sexualities ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136346072090271
Author(s):  
Yiu Tung Suen
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Sexual Identities ◽  
The Us ◽  
The World ◽  
And Bisexual ◽  
Older Gay Men ◽  
The Uk

Research on lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) ageing has burgeoned in the past decade in Western settings such as Australia, Canada, the UK and the US. Based on the emerging research about older gay men in Hong Kong, this article adds two important aspects to the ongoing agendas for global research into LGB ageing and later life. First, it further conceptualizes and subdivides Hong Kong's older gay men into three subgroups who hold varying levels of salience of sexual identity in their life and thus have different later life concerns. Second, to contribute to the wider LGB ageing research, I argue that at the same single time point, older LGB people in different parts of the world may hold very different understandings of their sexual identity. In some parts of the world, sexual identities may matter less for older LGB people, and thus, such older LGB people may accordingly have very different later life concerns.

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