Дисертації з теми "Social ageing"
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1
Ryan, Melissa-Sue, and n/a. "Ageing and emotion : categorisation, recognition, and social understanding." University of Otago. Department of Psychology, 2009. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20090309.150008.
Анотація:
The present thesis investigated age differences in emotion recognition skills of 146 older adults (age range 60-92 years) and 146 young adults (age range 18-25 years) in four experiments. Experiment 1 assessed participants� ability to categorise facial expressions of sadness, fear, happiness, and surprise. In Experiments 2 and 3, participants were asked to identify six emotions (happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, anger, disgust) from still and dynamic faces, alone and in combination with vocal expressions. Finally, Experiment 4 compared performance on these standard emotion recognition paradigms to that of more ecologically-valid measures; the Faux Pas and Verbosity and Social Cues Tasks.
Across the four studies, there was evidence of an age-related decline in emotion recognition skills. Older adults were overall less sensitive to perceptual differences between faces in Experiment 1 and showed a loss of categorical perception effect for fearful faces. Older adults were less accurate than young adults at recognising expressions of sadness, anger, and fear, across types of expression (voices and faces). There were some differences across modalities, with older adults showing difficulties with fear recognition for faces, but not voices, and difficulty in matching happy voices to happy faces but not for happy voices and faces presented in isolation. Experiment 2 also showed that the majority of older adult participants had some decline in emotion recognition skills.
Age differences in performance were also apparent on the more ecologically-valid measures. Older adults were more likely than young adults to rate the protagonist as behaving inappropriately in the Faux Pas Task, even with the control videos, suggesting difficulty in discriminating faux pas. Older adults were also judged to be more verbose and to offer more off-topic information during the Verbosity Task than young adults and were less likely to recognise expressions of boredom in the Social Cues Task.
These findings are discussed in terms of three theoretical accounts. A positivity bias (indicating increased recognition and experience of positive emotions and reduction for negative emotions) was not consistent with the older adults� difficulties with matching happy faces to voices and relatively preserved performance with disgusted expressions. Age-related decline in cognitive processes did not account for the specific pattern of age differences observed. The most plausible explanation for the age differences in the present thesis is that age-related neurological changes in the brain areas that process emotions, specifically the temporal and frontal areas, are likely to contribute to the older adults� declines in performance on emotion categorisation, emotion recognition, and social cognition tasks. The implications for everyday social interactions for older adults are also discussed.
2
Stuart, Sue. "Ageing & exercise : a case study to explore perceptions of ageing and engagement with exercise." Thesis, Bucks New University, 2018. http://bucks.collections.crest.ac.uk/17685/.
Анотація:
This study concerns the lived experience of participants in 50+ exercise groups (mainly women) that are taught by the researcher who is herself 50+. Activities comprise Exercise to Music, Pilates and Tai Chi for Arthritis and most classes are run under the auspices of an Adult Learning scheme. The research explores the meanings which people attach to the processes of ageing and how these relate to their engagements with exercise. The work was stimulated by a desire to understand the factors that encourage the participants to engage in and adhere to exercise and, in so doing, to make useful recommendations for health promotion and service provision with the intention that others might avoid the dangers of sedentary behaviour. This ethnographic case study spans approximately four years beginning in the spring of 2013. It draws on data collected in five semi-structured interviews and ten focus groups that were recorded and transcribed and five shorter telephone interviews which were noted at the time. Also included are data from numerous short vox pops and interviews 'on the move'. Altogether 56 individuals contributed verbal comment that has been recorded in some way. The data are reinforced by participant observation and access to enrolment documents. All of this is supported by a field journal which creates an audit trail and traces the evolution of the study. The originality of the study lies in the ability of the researcher to open up the 'black box' of the exercise class to reveal what matters most to older adults when they engage in exercise and how the contents of the box are socially constructed. Drawing on her own life experience as an exerciser and as an educator, the researcher is in a unique position to relate to the participants both as a peer and as a professional. The study situates perceptions of ageing in the context of identity formation. It explores elements across the life course which have shaped those perceptions and how such perceptions intersect with values and beliefs about exercise and, furthermore, how they continue to do so. Through unpacking the 'black box' of the exercise class, findings demonstrate the existence of a 'package' of elements that individuals require in their iv exercise: some essential, others desirable and yet others totally unacceptable. Factors which are considered essential vary with the choice of exercise but there remains an overwhelming sense of agreement that whatever is chosen should be pleasurable and co-constructed in partnership with other people. How this occurs forms the major contribution to knowledge which may be valuable in its application to provision, instructor recruitment and training for older adult exercise classes. Though the knowledge arises specifically from the participants of this case study it has relevance in informing exercise provision for similar groups of people.
3
Melin, Emma. "Äldres behov och tillgång till aktivitet och social samvaro - Ur vårdpersonalens synvinkel." Thesis, Mittuniversitetet, Avdelningen för socialt arbete, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-23272.
Анотація:
Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att undersöka hur vårdpersonalen på ett äldreboende resonerar kring äldres behov av aktivitet och social samvaro. I arbetet undersöks hur vårdpersonalens rutiner ser ut och hur social samvaro och aktivering prioriteras för de äldre. Jag använt mig av tidigare forskning, semistrukturerade intervjuer och tre teorier – disengagemangsteorin, aktivitetsteorin och signifikanta andra för att svara på frågeställningarna. Genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med tre personer som arbetar på ett äldreboende fann jag att respondenternas svar överensstämmer med tidigare forskning beträffande att aktivering och social samvaro är viktigt för de äldre. Respondenterna anser att tid för aktivering och social samvaro finns för de äldre och att det måste prioriteras om den äldre själv vill och orkar. Vårdpersonalens resonemang liknar både disengagemangsteorin och aktivitetsteorin, personalen anser att det är den äldre själv som bestämmer i vilken mån aktivering och social samvaro ska prioriteras.140922
4
Sharma, Dhruv. "Fostering social innovation for active ageing : tackling later life loneliness." Thesis, Lancaster University, 2018. http://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/124849/.
Анотація:
Later life loneliness is a major social issue as it is increasing alongside an upward global population trend which predicts that nearly 22% of the world population will be aged 60 years or over by 2050. This ‘silver tsunami’, an unparalleled growth of the older population, will exert socioeconomic pressure globally on healthcare, housing demand, consumer segmentation, etc. This thesis suggests that currently there is an underrepresentation of radical innovation, and underutilisation of digital technologies in developing loneliness interventions for older adults, and argues that due to the unprecedented nature of this demographic surge, we cannot rely on conventional ways of thinking and doing things. This thesis proposes a theoretical framework called Social Innovation for Active Ageing (SIFAA), as a way to develop more radical-digital loneliness interventions. SIFAA blends social innovation and activity theory of ageing and in doing so, expands current knowledge in both areas. To highlight the strengths and limitations of SIFAA, this thesis uses a triangulated approach, and discusses findings from a systematic literature review, interviews with experts, and an action research based trial. While the 196 loneliness interventions examined in the systematic literature review highlight the current gap in knowledge represented by a lack of radical-digital loneliness interventions, the interviews with 9 experts emphasise possible reasons for this gap. The action research based trial carried out during 16 weeks of ethnographic fieldwork on the other hand, offers practical insights into operationalising SIFAA to conceive and implement a radical-digital loneliness intervention for older adults. This thesis also highlights the vital role that digital technologies can play in facilitating the development and implementation of radical loneliness interventions. By suggesting the hybridisation of social innovation and activity theory of ageing, this research argues that a contextual view be adapted to design suitable loneliness interventions for older adults, such that the ageing population becomes a part of the solution, and not just the problem. This thesis suggests that by using creative tools and techniques, designers can either help develop new radical-digital loneliness interventions, or transform or scale existing interventions such that they represent radical innovation, and utilise digital technologies. It offers a framework utilising SIFAA that uses the tools and techniques developed during this study to deploy radical-digital loneliness interventions. The discussion herein is aimed at making a positive contribution to the field of developing, implementing, and evaluating non- pharmacological loneliness interventions for older adults.
5
GYASI, Razak Mohammed. "Ageing, health and health-seeking behaviour in Ghana." Digital Commons @ Lingnan University, 2018. https://commons.ln.edu.hk/otd/41.
Анотація:
Rapid ageing of populations globally following reductions in fertility and mortality rates has become one of the most significant demographic features in recent decades. As a low- and middle-income country, Ghana has one of the largest and fastest growing older populations in sub-Saharan Africa, where ageing often occurs ahead of socioeconomic development and provision of health and social care services. Older persons in these contexts often face greater health challenges and various life circumstances including role loss, retirement, irregular incomes and widowhood, which can increase their demand for both formal and informal support. This thesis addresses the effects of the socio-political structure, informal social support and micro-level factors on health and health-seeking behaviour among community-dwelling older persons in Ghana. The theoretical perspectives draw on political economy of ageing, social convoy theory and Andersen5s behavioural model. Using multi-stage stratified cluster cross-sectional survey data of older cohorts (N= 1,200) aged 50 years and older, multivariate generalised Poisson and logit regression models estimated the associations among variables and interaction terms. Although Ghana’s national health insurance scheme (NHIS) enrollment was significantly associated with increased log count of healthcare use (β = 0.237), the relationship was largely a function of health status. Moreover, the NHIS was related with improved time from onset of illness to healthcare use (β = 1.347). However, even with NHIS enrollment, the intermediate (OR = 1.468) and richer groups (OR = 2.149) had higher odds of seeking healthcare compared with the poor. In addition, features of meaningful informal social support including contacts with family and friends, social participation and remittances significantly improved psychological wellbeing and health services utilisation. Somewhat counter-intuitively, spousal cohabitation was associated with decreased health services use (OR = 0.999). Whilst self-rated health revealed a strong positive association with functional status of older persons (fair SRH: β = 1.346; poor SRH: β = 2.422), the relationship differed by gender and also was moderated by marital status for women but not men. The employed and urban residents somewhat surprisingly had lower odds of formal healthcare use. The findings support the hypotheses that interactive impacts of aspects of structural and functional social support and removal of catastrophic healthcare costs are particularly important in older persons’ psychological health and health service utilisation. Nevertheless, Ghana’s NHIS currently apparently lacks the capacity to improve equitable attendance at health facility between poor and non-poor. In contributing to the public health and social policy discourse, this study proposes that, whilst policies to ensure improved health status of older people are recommended, multidimensional social support and NHIS policy should be properly resourced and strengthened so they may act as critical tools for improving health and health services utilization of this marginalized and vulnerable older people in Ghana. Moreover, policies targeting and addressing economic empowerment including universal social pensions and welfare payments should be initiated and maintained to complement the NHIS for older people. The achievement of age-relevant policies and Universal Health Coverage (UCH) as advocated by WHO could be enhanced by adopting some of these suggestions.
6
au, J. Hall@murdoch edu, and Jane Hall. "Television and Positive Ageing in Australia." Murdoch University, 2005. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20060505.151605.
Анотація:
As a means to engage with others, television offers the viewer a great deal. In Australia commercial TV is particularly popular, and many turn daily to this cultural arena which graphically portrays our shared concerns and values. Viewers are kept informed and entertained, advertisements display the luxuries and necessities that direct lifestyle choices,and local and global stories are presented for mutual consideration. Audiences are connected not only with products,personalities and newsmakers, but also with fellow viewers who are sharing the experience. Retired people take particular advantage of this multi-faceted link with the outside world, when additional leisure time and reduced social and physical mobility create spaces that can be filled with the narratives and 'para-social' connections of a medium that transports the world to the viewer. Yet one definitive statement that can be made about popular television is that older people are rarely acknowledged and often ridiculed. An easily accessible and valuable communications medium marginalises those most dependent upon it - for information and entertainment, but also, I would argue, dependent upon it to help facilitate key recommendations of the 'successful ageing' formula.
Authoritative prescriptions for ageing well emphasise the benefits of social engagement, with television helping to facilitate this by involving the viewer with local concerns and wider accounts of human enterprise. Yet the popular media often presume that older people are no longer viable consumers or citizens, thus alienating them from mediated stories and populations. 'Success', according to commercial media sensibilities, is equated with youthfulness and economic means - twin attributes rarely associated with retired people. As a result, advertising is directed primarily at young, middle-class audiences, and the TV programmes to hook their attention are often typecast with similarly youthful protagonists. Older viewers are taken for granted and rarely acknowledged, and more disconcertingly, stereotyped and ridiculed to empower younger viewers. This dissertation seeks to explore these issues from a sociological perspective, primarily within the Australian context. Research strategies include a detailed analysis of the role of television in older people's lives and how they are portrayed, with results aligned with 'successful ageing' guidelines. Included in this approach is a study of how older people are portrayed on commercial TV in Australia, and a discussion of findings. The final section includes a chapter which consists of an examination of negative media portrayals from a political and human rights perspective, and the final chapter which asks how the oldest and frailest may by impacted by the cultural devaluation of old age.
7
Reynolds, Jackie. "Creative ageing : exploring social capital and arts engagement in later life." Thesis, Keele University, 2011. http://eprints.staffs.ac.uk/1679/.
Анотація:
This study explores the meanings that older people attach to their participation in group arts activities throughout their lives. Existing literature on arts engagement and ageing is limited, especially in the UK context, and does little to reveal the complex factors that shape people’s participation. Much existing research approaches the subject from an arts and health perspective, meaning that issues for older people who are actively engaged in their communities are largely unexplored, and their voices are absent. Reflecting a narrative approach, and the need to adopt a life-course perspective, this study involves qualitative interviews with 24 participants who have connections with a case-study town in the English Midlands. Participants were recruited through a range of groups, including choirs, dancing, amateur dramatics, and arts and crafts groups. The study’s findings highlight the key roles played by people’s childhood experiences at home, school and church, in shaping arts engagement. There are important gender and class differences in participants’ experiences, and these in turn are significantly influenced by historical context. In challenging a common ‘deficit’ approach to research with older people, this study uses the concept of social capital as a basis for analysis. This emphasises the critical importance of people’s relationships and communities in shaping participation. Findings offer qualitative understandings of the ways in which older people experience and invest social capital through their group arts engagement, and of the dynamics of mutual support and reciprocity that can thus be seen in the lives of older people. The study concludes that social capital and people’s group arts engagement can be linked to the wider concept of ‘resourceful ageing’ which, in turn, contributes to a better understanding of the impact of life-course experiences on later life opportunities and challenges.
8
Djebali, Zeineb. "'Starting-up, not slowing down' : social entrepreneurs in an ageing society." Thesis, University of Surrey, 2018. http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/850016/.
Анотація:
A growing body of literature examines entrepreneurial intentions of people aged fifty and over who can be referred to as 'later life' entrepreneurs (e.g. Curran and Blackburn, 2001; Singh and DeNoble, 2003; Weber and Schaper, 2003). However, there is a significant gap in our knowledge about entrepreneurial (social) intentions for people in the same age group. This study uses qualitative research incorporating twenty-eight in-depth interviews with social entrepreneurs aged fifty and over as well as seven expert interviews with members of the Age Action Alliance. These were used to explore the factors these social entrepreneurs consider important in their decision to set up their social enterprises, their 'everyday' lives, and the challenges they face and how they might be supported. An interpretive social constructionist approach was adopted to examine and make sense of the participants' daily lived experiences, from their perspectives. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach (Braun and Clarke, 2006) and the findings revealed the participants were driven by 'making a difference' to people's lives, with each having a different interpretation of the factors they considered important in influencing their entrepreneurial (social) intentions, affecting their social orientations and their entrepreneurial (social) identity. The participants displayed a strong sense of commitment to the social need they identified. Nevertheless, despite some perceiving income generation to be significant for facilitating their ability to achieve their social objectives, others viewed income generation to be incompatible with their social mission. This study examines the subjective views of social entrepreneurs aged fifty and over and the ways in which they construct their 'everyday lives' as social entrepreneurs. It provides insights about the interplay between the participants' motives for setting up their social enterprises and their age and entrepreneurial (social) identity. In addition, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the benefits the participants gained during the social entrepreneurial process, whilst bringing significant insights into the challenges and barriers they experienced and how they might be supported. As such, this study extends theoretical and empirical research on social entrepreneurship and social enterprise by developing our understanding of the 'everyday' lived experiences of social entrepreneurs in 'later life' from their own perspectives. It is recommended this study be used as a guide for policy makers and organisations that are supporting social entrepreneurs in this age group. Future research should, therefore, be carried out to examine entrepreneurial (social) intentions of different age groups, as more investigation is needed to explain whether the support required by social entrepreneurs is age specific. Furthermore, it is suggested this study could be useful for academic researchers who would like to further their knowledge on the underlying factors that drive those aged fifty and over to become social entrepreneurs and how they view their 'everyday' lives from their perspectives.
9
Leech, Thomas Anthony. "Drosophila melanogaster and the social environment : ageing, immunity and the microbiome." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2018. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/19504/.
Анотація:
Social environments can influence health and fitness in a variety of organisms. Since both social contact and isolation can be stressful, elucidating the mechanisms underlying the patterns of variation is essential to understanding how social environment contributes to overall phenotypes. Using a Drosophila melanogaster fruit fly model, I investigated how social contact influences ageing, immunity and the microbiome, in a sex-specific manner. Throughout, I used same sex pairs or groups to avoid the costs of mating and reproduction. Firstly I examined the effect of social environment on actuarial ageing and functional senescence in unwounded and wounded individuals, as well as stress responses. I found that pairing acted to decrease lifespan and stress resistance for both sexes, but when combined with wounding this effect was more severe for males. Climbing ability decreased with age, but this was more severe for paired females than those kept isolated. I next challenged the immune system directly by using a bacterial injection, as well as measuring gene expression and phagocytosis. In contrast to prior work, I found that older paired flies lived longer post-infection than flies that lived alone. Furthermore, gene expression and flow cytometry data suggested that some immune response pathways are more socially-responsive than others. I next determined the effect of social contact on the bacterial community associated with D. melanogaster. I found that the male microbiome is affected disproportionately compared to females, indicating that changes in species richness and evenness are not solely the result of horizontal transfer. I also found that age of cohabitants can have a marked effect on the microbiome composition and found that this can have important physiological implications - paired males are less able to cope with oral infections. Taken together, these findings suggest that the effects of social environments differ both between sexes and between traits.
10
Negrini, Chiara. "Ageing in the city : geographies of social interactions and everyday life." Thesis, Kingston University, 2015. http://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/30594/.
Анотація:
The ageing of the population in the United Kingdom poses urgent challenges to urban policy and planning committed to create accessible and inclusive public spaces. Issues of accessibility of outdoor environments have been addressed extensively in terms of design and service provision. However, the same attention has not been paid to more intangible factors related to older people’s personal experiences of navigating the built environment. In particular, everyday encounters and social interactions between older people and other users of public spaces have been identified in policy and academic research as significant in influencing the usability of places, but there has been far less engagement with how these interactions actually unfold. The gap is addressed in this thesis through the investigation of older people’s social experiences as they navigate the urban environment. Research subjects provided nuanced interpretations of outdoor sociability. The research demonstrates that sociability manifests in different ways, not all of which are positive. Older people’s everyday life is explored in the thesis by relating sociability to mobility, recreational activities and perceptions of the urban landscape. In this way the research addresses the knowledge gap into the ways in which older people spend their time outdoors and on the physical and social features of cities that they do or do not enjoy. This research problematises issues of urban sociability that are often overlooked in policy discourses on sustainable communities and inclusive public spaces and it deepens our understanding of older people’s day-to-day life outdoors. This is of significant importance if we want to advance our knowledge on how to enhance quality of life in old age through informed policy and practice. The research contributes also to geographers’ engagement with innovative research methods, as it develops a mixed-methods approach that combines ethnographic investigation with mobile and visual data.
11
Knott, Carola. "Social entrepreneurship as a solution provider for ageing societies in Europe." Master's thesis, NSBE - UNL, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10362/11783.
Анотація:
A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsThis work was conducted during an internship with the Social Venture Fund (SVF) in Munich which is the first social impact investing institution that strategically targets social enterprises with innovative driven solutions that tackle urgent societal and/or environmental challenges across Europe (SVF, 2013). The SVF addresses the funding gap often faced by social enterprises and aims to assure rate of returns with percentages similar to bank deposits but invests in social entrepreneurial solutions with the objective of maximizing social impact. It commonly provides debt and mezzanine capital as well as equity investments through preferred shares. The SVF 1 with a volume of 7.3 million Euros is currently invested in five social enterprises named ‘Auticon’1, ‘Deutschland rundet auf’2, ‘Essex Social Impact Bond’3, ‘Kinderzentren Kunterbunt’4 and ‘VerbaVoice’5 (SVF, 2013). Thus SVF 1 attracts investors who are mainly driven by impact generation (Santos, 2012). With regard to SVF 2 (First closing 09/12/13: 16.4m €) the team is highly interested in discovering social challenges, innovative ideas and social enterprises across Europe as potential future fund’s investments. Therefore it is important to investigate social issues/ sectors that could be of interest. The present work intends to understand and demonstrate the process of identifying a field of investment according to problem size, attractiveness, maturity, existence of established solutions and identification of investment opportunities. The research aims to investigate whether a sector could be of interest for impact investing institutions who are willing to (financially) support the scaling-up or replication of social enterprises and which entrepreneurial solutions already exist in terms of quality and quantity. The focus is on the case of population ageing in Europe and its consequences which represent growing problems for society and hence provide space for social entrepreneurship (SE). Accordingly existing and emerging opportunities for impact investors in the field of elderly will be demonstrated.
12
Nayak, Archita. "Population ageing in West Bengal with special reference to social security." Thesis, University of North Bengal, 2018. http://ir.nbu.ac.in/handle/123456789/2829.
13
Davison, Jean. "Researching ageing bodies in the home : a Foucauldian analysis." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2015. http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/27271/.
Анотація:
The structure of the United Kingdom population is changing with the percentage of people aged 65 and over increasing from 15% in 1985 to 17% in 2010 (Office of National Statistics 2012). During this time older people have been encouraged to remain living in their own homes (National Consultative Ethics Committee for Health and Life Sciences 1998). There is a growing body of evidence regarding older people and their homes concentrated primarily on the interpretative paradigm. In view of the existing evidence base the question posed was: ‘How do the discursive practices of older people living in their own homes reflect societal discourses?’ The aim of the research was to investigate the meaning of the home space and how older peoples’ discursive practices reflect societal discourses. In order to meet this aim the paradigm of post-modernism was selected along with the methodology of discourse analysis using Michel Foucault’s ideas. Narrative accounts were generated from a sample of 12 older people on two separate occasions on a one-to-one basis. The data was transcribed verbatim and a thematic analysis was used to condense the data and to allow for a Foucauldian discourse analysis of the topics identified by the participants. Five dominant discourses were identified as follows: Discourse of Risk – this was related to danger and trauma such as falls but the underlying risk was that of losing the home; Discourse of the Failing Body - explained how the participants were managing the physical demands of home-keeping with bodily changes threatening self-sufficiency; Discourse of Cognition – ageing as cognitively ‘challenged’ and again could be a threat to self-sufficiency; Discourse of Connections – the importance of contact and socialisation with others, animals and artefacts; Discourse of Consumption – highlighted the acquisition of equipment, adaptations and services to look after the self and the home and demonstrate ability. The meta-discourse of ageing as inevitable decline that circulates in society was being adhered to. However, one of the main findings was that the older people managed ageing in the home via managing risk. There was a constant underlying fear of losing their home and the participants consequently adopted the subject position of vulnerability. Foucault discusses the pervasiveness of power but stresses that where there is power there is resistance. In order to resist power, however, individuals need to gain critical consciousness. Challenging the status quo is essential if the dominant discourses regarding ageing are to be changed. Discursive trends towards ageing do appear to be emerging, but these are being heavily influenced by neoliberal policies and challenges from other modes of thinking are limited. Older people themselves can and do resist these dominant discourses and this requires continued encouragement and facilitation by professionals, voluntary organisations and the media.
14
Martin, Wendy. "Embodying 'active' ageing : bodies, emotions and risk in later life." Thesis, University of Warwick, 2007. http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2385/.
Анотація:
The promotion of 'active' ageing in later life has been a key development in recent health policy. These changes not only challenge the prevalent view of old age as an inevitable process of biological decline but signify the tendency of lay and expert discourses to increasingly use the notion of risk. Older people's social identities also need to be negotiated in the context of positive (active/freedom/fluid) and negative (passive/dependence/decline) images of ageing. This thesis explored older people's social identities; meanings about lifestyles, emotions, and bodies; and the salience and limitations to 'risk' and 'reflexivity' within everyday life. The research involved the intersection of in-depth qualitative interviews with photo-elicitation with 50 men and women aged between 50 and 96 years. Thematic analysis using Atlas Ti was undertaken. Three interconnected themes emerged: 1) Participants experienced their bodies as a taken-for- granted aspect of their everyday lives until moments when an awareness of the body interrupted their daily activities. At these moments the everyday visibility of the body was heightened and participants reflected on their own meanings and identities about ageing. 2) Emotions were significant as participants described their everyday lives and social interactions. There was a continual tension between inner (private) subjective feelings and experiences of emotions and the outer (public) bodily and spatial expression of these emotions. 3) Reflexive meanings about risk were multifaceted as participants drew upon diverse discourses when making choices about health-related lifestyles. A sense of embodied vulnerability associated with ageing was evident. Meanings and perspectives associated with ageing bodies were therefore central to everyday experiences of growing older. Alternative images of ageing were intertwined within the accounts of the participants as they fluctuated between a sense of ageing as a time of possibilities and a heightened awareness of their embodied vulnerabilities.
15
Medeiros, Bruno. "Ageing well in the community : social representations of well-being promotion in later life." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2017. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/270300.
Анотація:
This thesis is a social psychological study on ideas of well-being in later life by older adults, staff members, and volunteers involved in community support. Social representations theory constitutes the theoretical lens through which social constructions of well-being are examined. This project constitutes an ethnography of how groups represent wellness in later life, and how they evaluate receiving and giving support. Three day centres and a scheme of home visits of a voluntary organisation in the United Kingdom were the main sites of this study. Participant observation and 54 in-depth interviews were the main data sources. The study shows that both clients and practitioners understand wellness in later life as the result of an active, independent, and gainful living. This idea was shared amongst all groups in both settings, indicating the prevalence of a hegemonic view of wellness. This view is present in public understandings and professional discourse on ageing well. Nevertheless, clients and practitioners also challenged this ideology of wellness by representing ageing both as experience of gains (e.g. vitality and autonomy) and limitations (e.g. frailty and social isolation). These views are represented via two binary oppositional themes: activity-passivity and independence dependence. Moreover, clients and practitioners highlight the importance of health, adaptation, and relationships of support to attain well-being in old age. The concept of canonic themata and the evidence of a complex representational field around the theme of ageing constitute important empirical insights with which to understand the sharedness of well-being amongst all groups. Differences were observed in the way in which clients and practitioners position themselves – the first groups as receivers of help, whereas the second one as providers of care. Moreover, clients represent themselves as active and independent despite being recipients of support. In negotiating their views of independence, they preserve a positive sense of identity and accept help from others. Cognitive polyphasia also characterises thinking about well-being: physical, psychological, social, and material elements interact to promote wellness. The study also sheds light on how communities of support make sense of their practices. The concept of representational project offered a rich theoretical insight into how groups represent well-being promotion in the charity. Both clients and practitioners represent well-being promotion as actions to preserve functionality and participation in the community. Therefore, two set of actions were mentioned in both settings: socio-emotive and practical support. Implications for well-being policies and community support were addressed.
16
Freeman, Emily. "Older adults' experiences of ageing, sex and HIV infection in rural Malawi." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2012. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/544/.
Анотація:
This thesis contributes to understanding two demographically important phenomena: African ageing, and the ageing of the African HIV epidemic. Building on the body of interpretivist demography that privileges context and meanings, it explores older adults’ experiences of becoming old, sexuality and living with HIV in rural Malawi. The research uses a constructivist grounded theory framework. It is based primarily on data produced using repeat dependent interviews (N=135) with older men and women(N=43). These are supplemented by fieldwork observations, as well as data from a three-month multi-site pilot study, interviews with HIV support groups (N=3), and key informant interviews (N=19) and policy documents. The thesis identified sets of meanings surrounding old age and ways of discussing ageing that, taken together, formed an analytical framework. The framework is focused on the importance of maintaining an ‘adult’ identity and draws insights from sociological and psychological identity theories. The adult identity was aligned with personhood. It was situated within the body-centred livelihood system of rural Malawi, and associated with physical production. Old age was understood to limit productivity and thereby an individual’s adult identity. This thesis argues that ostensibly contradictory narratives about ageing experiences can be understood as rhetorical strategies respondents employed to maintain their adult identities. A central tenet of the thesis is that the adult identity (and its childlike counter identity) influenced older adults’ broader experiences and behaviours. This framework is used to explore ageing, as well as sex and HIV infection. The grounded understandings of older adults’ experiences developed in the thesis are presented against dominant understandings of the situation of older adults documented by the academe and in policy and programmatic arena emerging in Malawi. The findings highlight the centrality of wider experiences of ageing for older adults’ experiences of sex and HIV, as well as the broader importance of identity for understanding demographic behaviours and processes. In addition, they demonstrate how grounded theory and repeat dependent interviewing can be used within demographic studies to produce nuanced analytical accounts of the experiences that are most salient for the population of interest.
17
Degnen, Cathrine. "Mining experience : the ageing self, narrative, and social memory in Dodworth, England." Thesis, McGill University, 2003. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=19487.
Анотація:
In response to the anthropological literature on old age and ageing that remains largely isolated from more contemporary anthropological theory, this thesis re-focuses anthropological attention on the experiences of ageing. Towards this end, I examine the way macro- (history, politics, economics) and micro-level processes (social relations, intergenerational relations, local contexts, individual histories) intersect to frame the cultural construction of old age, personal experiences of "being old", and the self. A central point of intersection between these processes comes from the recent history of social transformation in my fieldsite, Dodworth, a former coal-mining village. Since the late 1980s, this is an area that has been grappling with the rupturing effects of the closure of the coal-mining industry. Attending to these conditions and how they inform the everyday reality and the experiences of ageing and of the self are critical concerns in this thesis. My approach to the ageing self is one that privileges narrativity and temporality as key constitutive elements and which considers the potentially different position of older people in relation to time and to the self. Growing older is a complicated mixture of bodily and social change, and negotiating these shifts has crucial implications for one's sense of self and subjectivity. While "old age" is a category which is readily used in daily discourse and living, what old age is and who is old nevertheless resists anchoring. What old age, being old and ageing meant to my research participants are key questions in order to understand the experience of growing older in Dodworth. Throughout the thesis, I focus on the dialectics of interpersonal interactions in order to speak meaningfully about how the experience of old age is organised and constructed. Emerging in tandem with these issues is another major topic of this thesis: social memory. Talk in Dodworth about places, absences, and relations continually brought the past and present together and was involved in how a sense of self is created. What emerged was a three-dimensionality of memory, an individual and collective way of placing oneself and others in relation to spatial aspects of the villagescape.
18
MacIntosh, Caroline Gabrielle. "Investigation of the 'anorexia of ageing'." Title page, contents and summary only, 2000. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phm15187.pdf.
Анотація:
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 349-421) Addresses some of the mechanisms which may potentially contribute to the physiological anorexia of ageing, as suggested by previous animal and human studies.
19
Shnino, Samer. "An interactive social platform for successful ageing : What should an interactive social platform, for families, look like?" Thesis, Umeå University, Department of Informatics, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-35333.
20
Stamou, Eva. "The ageing process and female identity in midlife." Thesis, University of Huddersfield, 2010. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/8757/.
Анотація:
My research examines how middle aged women (35-54 years of age) who live in the UK experience the process of growing older, and it addresses in detail the question of whether, and if so, how, their sense of self changes during midlife. In recent years it has been argued that it is not possible to offer an adequate theory of women’s experience and self-understanding without addressing the bodily aspects of the constitution of identity in their social context. According to the ‘double standard of ageing’ hypothesis, women are not permitted to age in ways that men are; they are marginalised and ignored not only by popular culture but also by some sociologists and gerontologists. Thus, there is a need for rethinking current theory so as to ensure that middle aged women become more visible. The themes explored in my project include: body image in midlife, participants’ notions of middle age, methods women use in order to control or conceal the signs of ageing, female sexuality in midlife, life milestones, ageism, the double standard of ageing in British society. The thesis contributes to the current debates within social sciences by offering new data that corroborate the hypothesis of the embodied nature of female identity, and the view that ageing is experienced as a defining factor in the development of personal female identity. Paricipants acknowledge that ageing is a feminist issue and their disourse confirms that there is a double standard of ageing in British society. In addition, my project challenges the idea that getting older is something pathological. It stresses the importance of diversity among women of different ethnicity and cultural background for the psychological, and social impact of ageing in women’s life. Finally, this project suggests that social scientists need to re-consider their age cohort categorizations and the use of the term ‘middle-age’, which - given the currently popular and medical preconceptions - carries only negative connotations for participants.
21
Nilsson, Jessica. "Adapting Society for the Ageing Population Through Architecture and Urban Planning." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Arkitekthögskolan vid Umeå universitet, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-138806.
Анотація:
People are getting older in the world and the aging population is increasing each year which lead to a higher demand of the society to care for the elderly population. In the year of 2050 there will be over 2 billion elderly people in the world and most of them will live in the developing countries. 1 The improved healthcare has led to peoples’ wealth and longer live in the world. Though one can see ageing as a successful achievement, there is things that need to be improved in the society. The ageing population is getting larger and the age discrimination and loneliness among elderly is one of the largest concerns to deal with within this context. This thesis will try to get an understanding of the role of the elderly in society and improve the conditions for an ageing population. Therefore, one will investigate in this master thesis; "How to adapt society for an ageing population?"
22
Cokayne, Karen. "The experience of ageing in ancient Rome : physical, intellectual, social and emotional dimensions." Thesis, University of Reading, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.343228.
23
LUK, Kit Ling. "Powerless or perilous? : ageing women as an emerging social force in Hong Kong." Digital Commons @ Lingnan University, 2007. https://commons.ln.edu.hk/cs_etd/3.
Анотація:
Ageing women have so often been represented in government policy rhetoric, gerontology literatures and journalistic discourse as the genderless, powerless and passive objects of welfare and services;, by and large, as a social problem that needs to be monitored and managed. Taking a cultural research approach, this thesis explores ageing women’s actual practices in Hong Kong social movements and aims to rerepresent ageing women as active social agents capable of generating multiple “tactical identities” enabling them to participate in and interact with an environment that poses concrete challenges to their participation.
In filling the gap between research on social movements and in social gerontology, both massively studied areas but ones whose mutual interactions are rare, this thesis reviews the social participations of three women at their late 60s and early 70s, who have been actively involved around issues of involuntary removal in public housing, and in health care and rent issues. The research explores how ageing women have used the notions of “Old Hong Kong” and “Old residents” - a rhetoric long bound up with their life histories in Hong Kong—to create a ‘mask of ageing’ in negotiation and interaction with the authorities, with neighbours, their community and, most importantly, their children. On the other hand, by acting as mothers, as grandmothers and as the “po po” (older woman in Cantonese) living next door, ageing women in effect compose collectives and form networks in their community to support their independent mode of living. The thesis argues that a new politics of ageing which addresses the everyday realities of ageing women’s lives is essential if we are to offer an alternative interpretation of their ageing experiences.
24
Bailey, Phoebe Elizabeth Psychology Faculty of Science UNSW. "The social cognitive neuroscience of empathy in older adulthood." Awarded By:University of New South Wales. Psychology, 2009. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/44506.
Анотація:
Empathy is an essential prerequisite for the development and maintenance of close interpersonal relationships. Given that older adults are particularly vulnerable to the negative consequences of loneliness and social isolation, it is surprising that few studies have assessed empathy in this group. The current programme of research addressed this gap in the literature by testing competing predictions derived from Socioemotional Selectivity Theory and the Ageing-Brain Model for age-related sparing and impairment of empathy, respectively. Study 1 compared young (N = 80) and older (N = 49) adults?? self-reported levels of cognitive and affective empathy, and engagement in social activities. It was found that although affective empathy is spared, cognitive empathy is subject to age-related decline, and this decline mediates reductions in social participation. These data therefore affirmed the importance of further investigation into the nature, causes and potential consequences of age-related differences in empathy. Since disinhibition is one mechanism contributing to difficulty taking the perspective of another, and is known to increase with age, in Study 2, behavioural measures sensitive to inhibitory failure and to cognitive empathy were administered to young (N = 36) and older (N = 33) adults. One of the measures of cognitive empathy directly manipulated inhibitory demands, involving either high or low levels of self-perspective inhibition. The results indicated that older adults were selectively impaired on the high-inhibition condition, with cognitive disinhibition mediating this association. Study 2 therefore provided important evidence relating to one potential mechanism that contributes to age-related difficulties in perspective-taking. Studies 3 and 4 provided the first behavioural assessments of age-related differences in affective empathy by using electromyography to index facial expression mimicry. Study 3 found that young (N = 35) and older (N = 35) adults?? demonstrate comparable mimicry of anger, but older adults?? initial (i.e., implicit) reactions were associated with reduced anger recognition. Thus, to test the possibility that despite explicit recognition difficulties, implicit processing of facial expressions may be preserved in older adulthood, Study 4 compared young (N = 46) and older (N = 40) adults?? mimicry responses to subliminally presented angry and happy facial expressions. As predicted, the two groups demonstrated commensurate subconscious mimicry of these expressions. Taken together, these studies indicate that separate components of empathy are differentially affected by healthy adult ageing. Implications for competing perspectives of socioemotional functioning in older adulthood are discussed.
25
Ding, Yew. "Pathways to frailty and its adverse outcomes : evidence from the English longitudinal study of ageing." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2016. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3508/.
Анотація:
Frailty affects 10% of adults aged 65 years and older. It denotes loss of an individual’s body reserves, which increases vulnerability to developing adverse health outcomes such as death, disability, and institutionalization. Consequently, frailty has been described as the most problematic expression of ageing. Having good understanding of specific conditions influencing development of frailty and its effects holds the key to slowing its progression and mitigating its adverse outcomes. To this end, pathways to frailty and its adverse outcomes are the focus of my thesis. I begin with a literature review to assemble evidence on frailty pathways and instruments. Guided by this evidence and using the working framework of the Canadian Initiative on Frailty and Aging as the template, frailty pathways incorporating physical, psychological, and social conditions are conceptualized. Arguing that narrower physical frailty specifications are more suitable for investigating these pathways, I develop them based on the frailty phenotype. In my first two papers, I use data of 4,638 respondents aged 65 to 89 years from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing to demonstrate construct, concurrent, and predictive validity of two physical frailty specifications. Adopting the specification with three indicators for latent growth curve analysis in my third paper, I show that chronic disease, allostatic load, low physical activity, cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, poor social support, and poor social integration are predictors, mediators, or moderators on pathways to physical frailty. In my fourth paper, discrete time survival analysis reveals that low physical activity and cognitive impairment are mediators on pathways from physical frailty to death. In my fifth paper, autoregressive cross-lagged analyses demonstrate that these two conditions and depressive symptoms are mediators on pathways from physical frailty to activity limitation. All these conditions represent potentially modifiable targets for population-level interventions to address physical frailty in older people.
26
Pickard, Susan. "Living on the front line : a social-anthropological study of ageing in South Wales." Thesis, University of Bristol, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/1983/601e765e-298f-4e0a-a285-767b4bbe53cb.
27
MacPherson, Sarah E. S. "Age, executive function and social decision-making : a dorsolateral prefrontal theory of cognitive ageing." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2001. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk/R?func=search-advanced-go&find_code1=WSN&request1=AAIU144679.
Анотація:
Current neuropsychological models propose that the cognitive changes associated with healthy adult ageing are due to deterioration of the frontal lobes of the brain. Despite evidence that the frontal lobes are involved in age-associated cognitive decline, the behavioural and cognitive deficits demonstrated by older adults differ from the typical clinical picture presented by patients with frontal lobe damage. Furthermore, there are frontal lobe tests reported in the literature that are insensitive to the effects of healthy adult ageing despite being sensitive to the effects of frontal lobe dysfunction. These arguments speak against the current "frontal lobe hypothesis of ageing". Studies have demonstrated that the frontal lobes can be subdivided into at least two distinct areas: the dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal regions. Current neuropsychological models of ageing have failed to consider that age may differentially affect these regions and assume that there is uniform frontal decline. Autopsy and neuroimaging studies, however, suggest that the dorsolateral region deteriorates earlier and more rapidly than the ventromedial region. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to outline and test a "dorsolateral" prefrontal theory of cognitive ageing where the dorsolateral functions deteriorate with age earlier and more rapidly than the ventromedial functions. In a series of experiments, age-associated declines in performance were found on all tasks sensitive to dorsolateral prefrontal dysfunction, but not on the majority of tasks sensitive to ventromedial prefrontal dysfunction. An attempt was also made to provide evidence for the specific localisation of the "dorsolateral" and "ventromedial" measures by assessing groups of patients with lesions to different areas of the frontal lobes. Whilst most of the tasks were sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction, only two of the "dorsolateral" measures were found to be selectively sensitive to the dorsolateral prefrontal region. In conclusion, the profile of spared and impaired abilities in the older groups speaks against the traditional "frontal lobe" interpretation of cognitive ageing and is more supportive of a specific dorsolateral prefrontal theory of cognitive changes with age.
28
cc, ori@ashman, and Ori Ashman. "Lifespan Development: A Social-Cultural Perspective." Murdoch University, 2006. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20061020.101103.
Анотація:
This thesis explores some of the social factors that may affect individuals as
they age. A lifespan developmental perspective is employed in investigating the
effects of societal aging stereotypes on will-to-live and risk-taking skills. Results
suggest negative aging stereotypes may have deleterious effects on the elderly, but
not young individuals in terms of will-to-live, but have no effect on risk-taking
abilities. Furthermore, a cross-cultural analysis of Americans and Japanese reveals
robust differences in self-concept between countries, which in turn partially mediate
the effects of culture and age on control strategies. It appears culture and age may
play important roles in determining individuals self-concept, motivation, and
regulation of behavior.
The first part of Study 1 examined whether stereotypes of aging contribute to
decisions the elderly make about when to die. Elderly and young participants (n =
64) were subliminally primed with either negative or positive stereotypes of old age
using a computer, and then responded to hypothetical medical situations involving
potentially fatal illnesses. Consistent with my prediction, the aged participants
primed with negative stereotypes tended to refuse life-prolonging interventions,
whereas those primed with positive age stereotypes tended to accept the
interventions. This priming effect did not emerge among the young participants for
whom the stereotypes were less relevant. The results suggest that sociallytransmitted
negative stereotypes of aging can weaken elderly will-to-live, or at the
very least, willingness to pursue medical intervention.
The second part of Study 1 examined whether the older adults demonstrate
similar risk-taking skills to the younger adults, and whether this ability is preserved,
even after exposure to age stereotypes. Sixteen young and 16 older participants were
tested on a risk-taking decision task following exposure to subliminal aging
stereotypes. In all conditions, both the old and young participants systematically and
equivalently increased their willingness to take risks as risk level decreased.
Furthermore, response times were an inverted U shape curve with slower response
times recorded at the medium risk level and faster times as risk levels shifted up or
down. The findings suggest the ability to make decisions based on risk level is
maintained into old age.
Study 2 investigated results reported by a number of studies finding that
primary control remains stable in old age, is lower in Asian countries, and that
secondary control increases in old age and is higher in Asian countries. I examined
whether these patterns may be due to the mediating influence of an interdependent
self-concept. In a sample of 557 young and older adults in Japan and the United
States, primary and secondary control, age, and interdependence were studied. I
found that interdependence partially mediated the influence of culture on secondary
control and interdependence partially mediated the influence of age on both primary
and secondary control. Findings suggest that interdependence is an important factor
that should be considered in trying to understand the determinants of control crossculturally
and developmentally.
29
Dietrich, Olaf. "Understanding the ageing consumer : exploring strategies for overcoming innovation resistance." Thesis, University of Gloucestershire, 2016. http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/3838/.
Анотація:
This thesis deals with the trend of an ageing population in Germany and the opportunities and challenges that it presents for the consumer goods industry. The goal of the research is to provide a more nuanced understanding of ageing consumers and to suggest strategies to overcome innovation resistance. It departs from the traditional product-oriented research perspective and explores domestic practices of everyday life. Using this approach, it investigates the role of household appliances in facilitating the wish of older adults to age-in-place. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the research, a synthetic framework was created that melds and extends distinct conceptual elements from separate theories. While previous studies have largely failed to provide a detailed description of user segments, this research applies a novel market segmentation approach that assists in developing more effective innovation strategies. It has extended the Use Diffusion model (Shih & Venkatesh, 2004) by creating a number of novel sub-determinants which direct household technology use in different directions. It posits that different user segments exhibit different levels of interest in future technology acquisition. Based on an advanced understanding of use patterns, the research intends to clarify a possible application of disruptive innovations, which suggest simpler, more familiar and affordable products and services. The research followed a sequential approach to data generation. It begins with interviews conducted during home visits using the task of ‘doing the laundry’ as a focal practice, interviews with care workers, and medical practitioners. It is supplemented with focus groups comprised of the intended product users in order to generate innovation ideas. A final focus group of industry experts followed and centred on the operationalization of those ideas within an established company. Finally, the thesis developed a synthetic model to support innovation management that is not present in current conceptions.
30
Stumpers, Sasha A. "An exploration of the experience and social construction of ageing: Perspectives from older adults in a healthy ageing program and those from Western Australian and Welsh communities." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2012. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2014.
Анотація:
In recent years, a strong focus has emerged towards developing and implementing guidelines, policies, governmental strategies and research agendas that best support a growing ageing population (United Nations, 1983, 1990, 1991, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2012; United Nations Programme on Ageing/International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2007; United Nations/Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2008; World Health Organization, 2002, 2004a). Locally in Western Australia (WA), nationally and internationally, this attention has culminated in a focus on promoting the notion of “healthy ageing” (Commonwealth of Australia, 1999; Commonwealth States and Territories, 2000; Office for Seniors Interests and Volunteering, 2006; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000; Welsh Assembly Government, 2005) based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing; not solely the absence of disease” (World Health Organization, 1946, p. 2). However, policies and theoretical understandings based on healthy ageing narratives have been questioned in regard to their underlying assumptions continuing to medicalise, problematise and objectify the ageing experience (Biggs, 2001; Cardona, 2008; Estes, 1993; Estes, Biggs, & Phillipson, 2009; Holstein & Minkler, 2003, 2007; Powell & Biggs, 2000; Sabelli, Patel, Konecki, & Nagib, 2003). This propensity to precondition a highly intra-personal, variable, and socially located experience (Estes, 1993; Estes et al., 2009; Featherstone & Wernick, 1995) prompted the need for further examination of current conceptualisations of the ageing experience as it is lived and experienced by older adults themselves. Moreover, a dearth of understanding remains about how older adults socially construct and attach meaning to their ageing experience. For these reasons, the purpose of this research was to explore how older adults socially construct meaning around their lived experiences of ageing whilst drawing attention to dominant rhetoric about healthy ageing in wider society.
To explore the different ways in which older adults make meaning of their experiences of ageing, a qualitative methodology, guided by the theoretical underpinnings of phenomenology and social constructionism was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 59 older adults (23 males and 36 females aged between 50 and 89 years) in order to collate a diverse, but in-depth and rich sample of descriptions of the lived experience of ageing. Participants were recruited according to four purposive sample groups. Consequently, this research project presents insight into the lived experience of ageing from across four distinct contexts, three of which were located in WA including 17 participants from a healthy ageing program; 12 participants who have withdrawn from a healthy ageing program; and 15 participants from a community sample. The fourth sample comprised of 15 participants from a community sample in Wales, United Kingdom (UK). A thematic analysis approach was utilised to analyse the data exploring participants’ experiences of ageing and investigating how participants constructed meaning in ageing across each of the four contexts.
The data revealed that whilst participants described feeling that the dominant discourse in wider society caused them to anticipate ageing as a stage in life centred on experiencing decline and loss (e.g., a decline in mental functioning, or a loss of mobility), it was also evident that psychological, social and political aspects were of equal, or greater significance to the meaningful understandings they constructed about their personal ageing experience. Five major themes with related sub-themes emerged that were germane to this finding. Major themes included: primed thought (consisting of sub-themes the “lucky” view, comparisons with others, healthy ageing, and decline and loss); connectedness (consisting of sub-themes the value of groups, supportive relationships, and religion and spirituality); social values (consisting of sub-themes generational interactions, ageism, and resource allocation); negotiating transitions in ageing (consisting of sub-themes life-stages and events, the dependence-independence continuum, the ageing body, and attitude and acceptance); and agency and influence (consisting of sub-themes meaningful roles, and personal control and worth). Cumulatively, these findings suggested that although research has often reported ageing in terms of aspects associated with declines and loss, to only attend to these areas would be to overlook significant psychological and social constituents of the ageing experience.
The findings of this research uniquely contribute to current understandings about ageing. Foremost, the findings support a more holistic understanding of ageing based on lived experiences and provide evidence that ageing is a socially constructed, and therefore modifiable experience. Specifically, the findings contribute to understandings about the systemic influences on constructed meaning in ageing, particularly the disjunction between policy constructions and lived experiences. Furthermore, with comparable findings occurring across the four distinct contexts of this research, especially between the local context in WA and the international context in Wales, highlights the significance and widespread relevance of the issues raised pertaining to participants’ experiences of ageing. Consequently, findings may be used to inform existing and future policy decision-making and models of best practice towards promoting healthy ageing. Moreover, the findings contend that a need exists to evaluate the way in which ageing policy is effectively translated into practice, that is, in a way that closely aligns with the lived experiences of ageing as had by individuals. In practical terms, the findings suggest it would be highly beneficial to ensure that healthy ageing initiatives implemented in the wider community embrace awareness, and put into practice actions that account for all factors contributing to a healthy ageing experience - especially psychological and social aspects as emphasised by participants. Despite the robustness of these findings, further research is needed and encouraged to maintain the development, growth, and momentum of such understandings about the ageing experience and this is particularly encouraged with populations from different socio-cultural contexts and settings, as well as a gendered perspective of the lived experience of ageing.
31
Chen, Henglien (Lisa). "Successful ageing in long-term care : international comparison and lesson learning." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2008. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/8123.
Анотація:
Quality of life is one of the main concerns in long-term care amongst ageing populations in many countries. This problem is historically unique and increases the demand for research material. This thesis looks at how different societies promote or fail to promote successful ageing of long-term care of older people, and considers how countries may learn from one another in their search for solutions. The three countries studied (England, the Netherlands and Taiwan) correspond to Esping-Anderson's three types of welfare system (Esping-Anderson, 1990). In addition, the Asian-European dimension has been employed as it is a neglected one. Data sources included conceptual, empirical and statistical documents on long-term care of older people. Moreover, this research used identical qualitative cross-national research methods on three levels in each country: national, county and municipal. A total of 142 interviews were carried out in 2004. This aim of this study was broadly to rank the three welfare systems where there were clear differences but to qualify this by pointing out the complexities and difficulties of mixed economy comparisons. The overall conclusion is that the Netherlands provides higher quality care to older people, thus confirming Esping-Andersen's finding about the superiority of social democratic systems. In reviewing current policies and research in needs and successful ageing, this qualitative comparative study has focused on needs, social inclusion, power and autonomy, care resources as well as partnership as crucial concepts in care systems and discovered good practice in each and lessons to be learnt.
32
Högberg, Björn. "Ageing, health inequalities and welfare state regimes – a multilevel analysis." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Sociologiska institutionen, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-100401.
Анотація:
The paper studies class inequalities in health over the ageing process in a comparative perspective. It investigates if health inequalities among the elderly vary between European welfare state regimes, and if this variation is age-dependent. Previous comparative research on health inequalities have largely failed to take age and ageing into account, and have not investigated whether cross-country variation in health inequalities might differ for different age categories. Since the elderly belong to the demographic category most dependent on welfare policies, an ageing perspective is warranted. The study combines fives data rounds (2002 to 2010) from the European Social Survey. Multilevel techniques are used, and the analysis is stratified by age, comparing the 50-64 year olds with those aged 65-80 years. Health is measured by self-assessed general health and disability status. Two results stand out. First, class differences in health are strongly reduced or vanish completely for the 65-80 year olds in the Social democratic welfare states, while they remain stable or are in some cases even intensified in almost all other welfare states. Second, the cross-country variation in health inequalities is much larger for the oldest (aged 65-80 years) than is the case for the 50-64 year olds. It is concluded that welfare policies seem to influence the magnitude of health inequalities, and that the importance of welfare state context is greater for the elderly, who are more fragile and more reliant on welfare policies such as public pensions and elderly care.
33
Proença, João Maria Vieira Martins Cid. "Consequências sociais do envelhecimento da população." Master's thesis, Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/17657.
Анотація:
Mestrado em Desenvolvimento e Cooperação InternacionalDissertação sobre o envelhecimento da população portuguesa enquadrada no contexto europeu. Evolução dos diversos indicadores sociais e respectivas justificações. A importância do Estado e da família no cuidado dos dependentes.
Work about the ageing of portuguese society within the european context. Evolution of several social indicators and the reasons behind the change of behaviours. The importance of the state and family in the care of the dependents.
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
34
Högman, Ann-Kristin. "Ageing in a changing society : Elderly men and women in urban Sweden 1830-1930." Doctoral thesis, Umeå universitet, Historiska studier, 1999. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-54194.
Анотація:
This study deals with the impact of industrialisation and urbanisation on the living conditions of aged men and women. By studying labour force participation, savings and pensions, the role of the family, and the extent of dependency of aged men and women from a gender and class perspective, continuities and changes between pre-industrial and industrial times are examined. The main focus is placed on the situation of elderly persons living in the town of Sundsvall between 1830 and 1930. This town became the commercial centre of one of the largest saw-mill districts in the world at the end of the nineteenth century. The residence patterns of old men and women in Sundsvall are also compared with those in two other Swedish industrialised urban areas; the capital Stockholm and the textile centre Norrköping. According to modernisation theorists, industrialisation and urbanisation led to an increase in dependency in old age, due to weakening family ties and unemployment. This study shows the complexity of the issue. It is true that some sources reveal a declining proportion of men participating in the labour force at the very end of the period of observation, but this was primarily due to the introduction of the national pension system in 1914. On the other hand, other records show a stability or even an increasing proportion of elderly men and women in the labour market. By contrast with previous studies of the residence patterns of aged persons, this dissertation shows a very high percentage of elderly women living alone in all three urban areas selected for study. However, this was not solely a sign of isolation, since the vast majority of those elderly living in households of their own had children residing in the vicinity. Furthermore, many old men and women shared households with their children, although this pattern was less common among the working class. The role of off-spring appears to have been important both in pre-industrial and industrial times. The residence patterns of the urban elderly were probably influenced by traditional rural living arrangements, to the extent that old couples and their married children often lived close to each other but usually maintained households of their own. Old parents and their adult children might have preferred to live in separate households instead of crowding in with each other. The unmarried elderly were probably most affected by the transformations taking place at the end of the nineteenth century. A considerable number of them migrated late in life, leaving all their relatives behind. Therefore, they became highly vulnerable. Unmarried men tended to be more exposed to the dangers of urban life. They probably experienced tougher working conditions, had weaker social networks, and could not manage on their own to the same extent as women. Therefore, a larger propor-tion of men than women ended up in the workhouse.digitalisering@umu
35
Alidoust, Sara. "Planning for Socially Healthy Ageing: A Study of Neighbourhood Environments and Their Impacts on the Social Lives of Older People." Thesis, Griffith University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367267.
Анотація:
The ageing population has significant implications for urban and regional planning in a wide range of areas. Urban planning and policies need to focus on developing the environments which contribute to the health and wellbeing of older people while accommodating their varying needs and requirements. Social health is a main component of the overall health and wellbeing of older people, and this has not received enough research attention in the urban and planning literature. Social health refers to social relationships at different levels, from home to society. When people age they are more prone to health-related concerns, including mobility limitations. As a result, they are more likely to spend a substantial amount of their outdoor time in their neighbourhood environment and to socially engage with fellow residents in the neighbourhood. The social relationship at a neighbourhood level, known as neighbourhood social life, is thus an important component of the social health of older people, which in turn contributes to the overall health and wellbeing of this age cohort.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Griffith School of Environment
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
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Stanaway, Fiona. "Health and ageing in older male Italian-born immigrants." Thesis, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/13154.
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au, J. Fitzgerald@murdoch edu, and John Patrick FitzGerald. "Heterochrony of Ageing of Adult Cerebral Hemispheres and Relationships with Emotion Function, Mood and Social Engagement." Murdoch University, 2007. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20071002.101145.
Анотація:
A number of studies have suggested that the right cerebral hemisphere declines, functionally, more rapidly, and to a greater degree, than does the left hemisphere, as the human adult ages. Furthermore, research has suggested a possible link between age by gender-related changes in cognitive function and changes in mood and levels of social engagement.
Importantly, a literature search identified that no previous study has employed a divided visual field experimental technique, where emotionally valenced verbal stimuli have been presented, in order to test whether selective impairment of right cerebral hemisphere functioning is associated with normal adult ageing. Nor has any study investigated associations between age, gender, levels of social engagement, mood, and performances in the perception of both emotionally valenced verbal stimuli and facial affect.
The present study investigated whether a selective impairment of right cerebral hemispheric cognitive functioning, in relation to emotion perception, is associated with normal adult ageing. In addition, the present study explored whether any relationships exist between an age-related and/or age by gender-related right cerebral hemispheric cognitive impairment, problems with mood, and deficits in social engagement. Two divided visual field experiments were conducted: one divided visual field experiment employed verbal stimuli, and the other, facial image stimuli. These two experiments attempted to assess changes, with adult ageing, in hemispheric specialisation for the perception of emotion by
tachistoscopically presenting valenced (positive, neutral, or negative) verbal and facial image stimuli, within a divided visual field experimental paradigm. The studies were conducted across two groups (an old group and a young group of subjects), whilst controlling for gender, handedness and verbal ability of subjects. The dependent variables in these two experiments were the subjects' reaction times to the stimuli, accuracy of identification of the emotional valence of the stimuli, and response biases to these stimuli.
The data derived from the verbal divided visual field and facial image divided visual field experiments did not indicate any changes in relation to the laterality of emotion perception as the adult human being ages. Importantly, though, the results from both of the aforementioned experiments revealed that the older group of subjects responded more slowly and less accurately to the emotionally valued stimuli than did the younger group of subjects, suggesting that deficits in emotion perception occur with adult ageing.
In addition, the results suggested age by gender-specific relationships, whereby an overall lowering in cognitive ability for older men was associated with a lowering in ability to accurately perceive the emotional valence of the stimuli. For older women it was found that a lowering in cognitive ability largely mediated by the left cerebral hemisphere was associated with a lowering in ability to accurately perceive the emotional valence of the stimuli, whilst cognitive ability for young persons was not associated with this variable. The data also suggested that for the young women, a heightened level of cognitive ability largely mediated by the left cerebral hemisphere was associated with a lowering in satisfaction with their level of social interaction, whereas a heightened level of cognitive ability largely mediated by the right cerebral hemisphere was associated with a heightened level of mood disturbance.
Gender-specific relationships were also found, whereby for both the older and younger women, a heightened level of mood disturbance was associated with a lowering in satisfaction with their level of social interaction, whilst for both the older and younger men these variables had no relationship.
Furthermore, an age by gender-specific relationship was revealed, whereby for the older men, a heightened level of satisfaction with their level of social interaction was associated with a heightened level of social engagement, whilst for the young men, and both the young and older women, these variables had no relationship.
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Palmer, Pauline Sheila. "Competitive identity and an ageing body : a social psychological study of West Australian Masters Sports participants." Thesis, University of Brighton, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.479079.
Анотація:
This social-psychological study sought to identify and illuminate the conceptualisation and meaning of Masters sport participation and competition to a group of 43 older West Australian athletes (ages 50-94). Through a rigorous analytical interpretation of personal narratives, the contradiction between athletic identity and an ageing body was investigated. A paradox remains between societal expectation of the elderly to reduce physical activity, and the increasing numbers who take part in demanding competitive sport normally enjoyed by younger people. In an attempt to defy natural biological ageing and negative stereotypes in Western society, Masters provide examples of self-determined motivation to repeatedly push their ageing bodies to the limit with little reward or recognition. As performance technique is clearly no longer sufficient to satisfy athletes' needs, the need to achieve is manifested through the achievement of personal bests, or rewarded by sincere effort. Masters are proactive in facilitating behavioural change, thus influencing levels of self-esteem and thereby continued commitment. Benefits of the complex interaction between personal and environmental factors produce identifiable links to social enhancement, fitness and self-fulfilment that contribute to quality of life for older individuals. But, undoubtedly, the essence of Masters sport to this ageing group is the significant importance of maintaining choice, freedom, health and identity during later life stages that is manifested through denial. This integral component further contributes to a positive self projection, and together with self-expression and self-definition, is presented to outsiders as evidence of active and healthy ageing. The Masters' rhetoric is rehearsed and repeated at will in much the same manner as a learned mantra, but often viewed by other older and more sedentary individuals as idiosyncratic. Social scientists have primarily focused research on the sedentary old, addressing barriers against physical activity while ignoring positive and transferable outcomes of an active lifestyle within a community club base. While financial incentives clearly drive the need for lifestyle change in the general population, it is those at the extreme of active-ageing that require greater acknowledgement as effective role models of healthy ageing. Through an interpretive post-positivistic paradigm this inquiry gave voice to a group of older individuals and deliberated upon the complex interplay between ageing and an externally presented self-ideal of health and fitness.
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Coutinho, Letícia Maria Silva. "Transtornos mentais comuns e contexto social: análise multinível do \"São Paulo ageing and health study (SPAH)." Universidade de São Paulo, 2014. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/5/5137/tde-27022014-123908/.
Анотація:
INTRODUÇÃO: Problemas de saúde mental são responsáveis por uma morbidade significativa em todo o mundo, por sua frequência e pela associação com comorbidades físicas, níveis de incapacitação e prejuízo na qualidade de vida de portadores e cuidadores. A ocorrência de transtornos mentais comuns (TMC) é influenciada por fatores biológicos, sociais, econômicos e demográficos. O contexto social pode ter papel importante na etiologia dos transtornos mentais e na sua prevalência. OBJETIVOS: Investigar fatores de risco que contribuem para a prevalência, incidência e prognóstico de TMC em população de baixa renda da cidade de São Paulo, considerando distintos níveis contextuais: indivíduo, domicílio e setor censitário. MÉTODO: O presente estudo utilizou dados da investigação longitudinal de base populacional \"São Paulo Ageing & Health Study\" (SPAH). Os indivíduos selecionados eram residentes em domicílios em que houvesse pelo menos dois participantes do estudo com avaliação para presença de TMC, identificada pelo instrumento Self Reporting Questionaire (SRQ-20). Foram avaliadas as associações independentes entre TMC e características sociodemográficas e dos domicílios dos participantes, através de modelos de regressão logística multinível, tendo como desfechos a prevalência de TMC na inclusão e a presença de TMC em avaliação de dois anos de seguimento. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 2.366 indivíduos no estudo transversal, realizado no período de 2003 a 2005. A prevalência de TMC nesta amostra foi de 43%. As características individuais sexo, idade, escolaridade e ocupação estiveram associadas à prevalência de TMC. As características de domicílios aglomeração, morar com crianças, bens materiais, saneamento básico e renda familiar também se associaram à prevalência de TMC. Modelos de regressão logística multinível mostraram que parte da variância na prevalência de TMC foi associada ao nível do domicílio, com associações entre aglomeração, renda familiar e prevalência de TMC, mesmo após controle para características individuais. No estudo longitudinal foram incluídos 1.733 indivíduos, reavaliados no período de 2005 a 2007. A prevalência de TMC na avaliação de seguimento foi de 33%, sendo que 8% não apresentavam TMC na inclusão. As características individuais sexo, idade e ocupação, e a característica de domicílio renda familiar estiveram associadas à presença de TMC na avaliação de seguimento. Modelos de regressão logística multinível para os dados longitudinais mostraram que a maior parte da variância na presença de TMC foi associada ao nível do indivíduo, com associações entre sexo, faixa etária, escolaridade, ocupação e TMC, mesmo após controle para características do domicílio. O nível de domicílio também contribuiu de forma independente para a variância relacionada à presença de TMC no seguimento, com associação de efeito fixo para renda familiar, mesmo após controle para características individuais. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados mostraram que características individuais contribuem para a maior parte da variância na prevalência, incidência e prognóstico de TMC, mas há uma associação independente com o nível domicílio, que não é explicada completamente pela renda familiar. Esses resultados indicam que características do ambiente onde as pessoas vivem contribuem para sua saúde mental, sugerindo que pesquisas futuras se concentrem nas características psicossociais de domicílios e vizinhanças para estudo de contexto social e TMCINTRODUCTION: Mental health problems are responsible for significant morbidity worldwide, due to its high frequency and association with physical comorbidities, levels of disability and impact in quality of life of patients and caregivers. The occurrence of common mental disorders (CMD) is influenced by biological, social, economic and demographic factors. The social context may play an important role in the etiology of mental disorders and their prevalence. OBJECTIVES: To investigate risk factors associated with the prevalence, incidence and prognosis of CMD in a low income population from the city of São Paulo, considering different contextual levels: individual, household, and census tract. METHOD: The present study used data from the population-based prospective investigation \"São Paulo Ageing & Health Study\" (SPAH). The individuals selected were living in households in which there were at least two study participants with assessments for presence of TMC, identified by the instrument Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). We assessed independent associations between CMD and the sociodemographic and households characteristics of the participants, through multilevel logistic regression models, having as outcome variables the prevalence of CMD at inclusion and the presence of TMC at the 2-year follow-up assessment. RESULTS: We included 2.366 individuals in the cross-sectional study, carried out in the period from 2003 to 2005. The prevalence of CMD in this sample was 43%. Individual characteristics sex, age, education and occupation were associated with the prevalence of CMD. The household characteristics crowding, living with children, possessions, basic sanitation and family income were also associated with the prevalence of CMD. Multilevel logistic regression models showed that part of the variance in the prevalence of CMD was associated with the household level, with associations between crowding, family income and prevalence of CMD, even after controlling for individual characteristics. In the longitudinal study, 1.733 individuals were reassessed in the period of 2005-2007. The prevalence of CMD at 2 years was 33%, with 8% in individuals without TMC at inclusion. Individual characteristics sex, age and occupation and household characteristic family income were associated with presence of CMD at follow-up. Multilevel logistic regression models for longitudinal data showed that most of the variance associated with presence of CMD was associated with the level of the individual, with associations between sex, age, education, occupation and CMD, even after controlling for household characteristics. The household level also contributed independently to the variance related to the presence of TMC at follow-up, with associated fixed effect for family income, even after controlling for individual characteristics. CONCLUSION: The results showed that individual characteristics contribute to most of the variance in the prevalence, incidence and prognosis of TMC, but there is an independent association with the household level, which is not fully explained by family income. These results indicate that characteristics of the environment where people live contribute to their mental health, suggesting that future research focus on the psychosocial characteristics of households and neighborhoods to study the social and TMC
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Syddall, H. E. "Social inequalities in musculoskeletal ageing among community dwelling older men and women in the United Kingdom." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2012. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/354738/.
Анотація:
The population of the United Kingdom (UK) is ageing; the already substantial burden of musculoskeletal disorders on health and social care systems will increase over time as the population ages. Social inequalities in health are well documented for the UK in general but little is known about social inequalities in musculoskeletal ageing. Using data from the 3,225 ‘young-old’ (age 59 to 73 years) community dwelling men and women who participated in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study, this thesis has explored social inequalities in musculoskeletal ageing: specifically, loss of muscle strength and physical function (PF); falls; Fried frailty; and osteoporosis. Socioeconomic position was characterised by age left full-time education, parental social class at birth and own social class in adulthood, and current material deprivation by housing tenure and car availability. Not owning one’s home was associated with lower grip strength and increased frailty prevalence among men and women and with poorer self-reported short-form 36 (SF-36) PF among men. Reduced car availability was associated with lower grip strength and poorer SF-36 PF among men and women and with increased falls and frailty prevalence among men. There was no convincing evidence for social inequalities in fracture, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) total femoral bone mineral density (BMD) and bone loss rate, or peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) strength strain indices for the radius or tibia. This thesis has argued that social variations in height, fat mass, diet and physical activity are likely to have mediated these results. Moreover, evidence for a social gradient in grip strength but not BMD is consistent with ageing skeletal muscle remaining highly responsive to physical activity in later life in a way that ageing bone does not; the impact of lifecourse customary and occupational physical activity on social inequalities in musculoskeletal ageing merits further research. The results presented in this thesis suggest that any clinical interventions designed to reduce the loss of muscle mass and function with age should be targeted proportionately across the social gradient; strategies to reduce fracture and osteoporosis should continue to have a universal population focus. Finally, this thesis suggests that there exists a subgroup of older men and women in the UK who face the multiple jeopardy of increased levels of material deprivation combined with greater loss of muscle strength and physical function; these men and women urgently need the government to commit to reform of the funding system for adult care and support.
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FitzGerald, John P. "Heterochrony of ageing of adult cerebral hemispheres and relationships with emotion function, mood and social engagement /." Access via Murdoch University Digital Theses Project, 2006. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20071002.101145.
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FitzGerald, John Patrick. "Heterochrony of ageing of adult cerebral hemispheres and relationships with emotion function, mood and social engagement." Thesis, FitzGerald, John Patrick (2007) Heterochrony of ageing of adult cerebral hemispheres and relationships with emotion function, mood and social engagement. Professional Doctorate thesis, Murdoch University, 2007. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/52/.
Анотація:
A number of studies have suggested that the right cerebral hemisphere declines, functionally, more rapidly, and to a greater degree, than does the left hemisphere, as the human adult ages. Furthermore, research has suggested a possible link between age by gender-related changes in cognitive function and changes in mood and levels of social engagement.
Importantly, a literature search identified that no previous study has employed a divided visual field experimental technique, where emotionally valenced verbal stimuli have been presented, in order to test whether selective impairment of right cerebral hemisphere functioning is associated with normal adult ageing. Nor has any study investigated associations between age, gender, levels of social engagement, mood, and performances in the perception of both emotionally valenced verbal stimuli and facial affect.
The present study investigated whether a selective impairment of right cerebral hemispheric cognitive functioning, in relation to emotion perception, is associated with normal adult ageing. In addition, the present study explored whether any relationships exist between an age-related and/or age by gender-related right cerebral hemispheric cognitive impairment, problems with mood, and deficits in social engagement. Two divided visual field experiments were conducted: one divided visual field experiment employed verbal stimuli, and the other, facial image stimuli. These two experiments attempted to assess changes, with adult ageing, in hemispheric specialisation for the perception of emotion by tachistoscopically presenting valenced (positive, neutral, or negative) verbal and facial image stimuli, within a divided visual field experimental paradigm. The studies were conducted across two groups (an old group and a young group of subjects), whilst controlling for gender, handedness and verbal ability of subjects. The dependent variables in these two experiments were the subjects' reaction times to the stimuli, accuracy of identification of the emotional valence of the stimuli, and response biases to these stimuli.
The data derived from the verbal divided visual field and facial image divided visual field experiments did not indicate any changes in relation to the laterality of emotion perception as the adult human being ages. Importantly, though, the results from both of the aforementioned experiments revealed that the older group of subjects responded more slowly and less accurately to the emotionally valued stimuli than did the younger group of subjects, suggesting that deficits in emotion perception occur with adult ageing.
In addition, the results suggested age by gender-specific relationships, whereby an overall lowering in cognitive ability for older men was associated with a lowering in ability to accurately perceive the emotional valence of the stimuli. For older women it was found that a lowering in cognitive ability largely mediated by the left cerebral hemisphere was associated with a lowering in ability to accurately perceive the emotional valence of the stimuli, whilst cognitive ability for young persons was not associated with this variable. The data also suggested that for the young women, a heightened level of cognitive ability largely mediated by the left cerebral hemisphere was associated with a lowering in satisfaction with their level of social interaction, whereas a heightened level of cognitive ability largely mediated by the right cerebral hemisphere was associated with a heightened level of mood disturbance.
Gender-specific relationships were also found, whereby for both the older and younger women, a heightened level of mood disturbance was associated with a lowering in satisfaction with their level of social interaction, whilst for both the older and younger men these variables had no relationship.
Furthermore, an age by gender-specific relationship was revealed, whereby for the older men, a heightened level of satisfaction with their level of social interaction was associated with a heightened level of social engagement, whilst for the young men, and both the young and older women, these variables had no relationship.
43
Watt, Jeremy Charles. "Ageing and the continuity of masculine identity in a Scottish men's shed : an ethnographic enquiry." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2017. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=231850.
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Hales, Sophie. "Sliding down the pole : lived experiences of sexuality and ageing in the lap dancing industry." Thesis, University of Essex, 2016. http://repository.essex.ac.uk/18663/.
Анотація:
This PhD thesis focuses on women’s lived, embodied experiences of working in the lap dancing industry. It has been established within the literature on this industry that dancers portray heightened depictions of femininity (Mavin & Grandy, 2013) and engage in work on their bodies and aesthetic labour (Colosi, 2008; Colosi, 2010; Mavin & Grandy, 2013; Sanders et al, 2013) as part of their role, however little attention has been paid to how and why specific modes of sexuality become valued in this working role and how the portrayal of sexuality in the lap dancing industry is experienced and negotiated as dancers age. This study aims to build on previous research by considering the context and space in which dancers perform, embody and negotiate the role of a lap dancer in order to enrich our understanding of their lived experiences. The research takes the form of a retrospective auto-ethnography and incorporates three phases of data collection: website analysis, participant observation and semi-structured interviews. These phases of data collection have been selected to focus, respectively, on understanding how the lap dancing industry is encoded, embedded and embodied. Ultimately, this aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the industry and how it is encoded and landscaped through its online presence, how it is embedded in its situated context and finally, how this is reflected in, understood, and embodied by, women working in the lap dancing industry. The findings suggest that the landscape of the lap dancing industry and material setting in which the work is performed both encourages an ambiguous exchange relationship between dancers and customers and compels dancers to perform and embody heteronormatively prescriptive images of youthful sexuality.
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Quque, Martin. "Coevolution of sociality and ageing in animal societies." Doctoral thesis, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/2013/ULB-DIPOT:oai:dipot.ulb.ac.be:2013/316028.
Анотація:
In order to improve our knowledge of the mechanisms of ageing in animals, the main objective of the thesis was to understand the modulation of such mechanisms by the individual social role, within different social organisations. This objective thus addresses two main questions: i) describing the covariation of the degree of social complexity with ageing patterns; ii) highlighting the underlying cellular and molecular processes. Thanks to complementary and diversified studies (behavioural observations, dosage of the oxidative balance, qPCR measurement of telomere length, proteomics, metabolomics), the present thesis showed that sociality plays a role on ageing at many levels. In the zebra finch, social stress caused by aggression of the conspecifics induces oxidative stress and reduces telomere length in adults. In the sociable weaver, the social environment is of crucial importance during pre- and post-hatch development on the medium term survival of the chicks. Finally, in ants, we were able to show a positive relationship between the degree of sociality and maximum potential life span: this link was caste specific, being only significant for the most social queens. This is inline with a recent review by Lucas and Keller (2020) which concluded that the benefits of sociality are most sensitive for high levels of sociality and particularly in reproductive individuals. With regard to the molecular mechanisms of ageing,we were able to establish a causal chain between social stress, oxidative response and telomere erosion in zebra finches.The role of telomeres as a predictor of offspring survival has been confirmed (over at least 5 years) in the sociable weaver,a cooperative breeder bird. However, this link was not true in queen ants where the longest lived were those with the shortest telomeres. The co-evolution of anti-cancer mechanisms and longevity seems to be conserved since similar strategies are found in taxa as diverse as ants and rodents. On the other hand, and contrary to previous studies conducted on ants, we found that oxidative stress might be a marker of individual ageing. We suggest that the proxies of oxidative stress used so far in ants have been misleading or at least incomplete. Thus, understanding the physiological ageing particularities of ants and other social insects might require finding new relevant and specific markers. Finally, the sirtuins and mTOR signalling pathways, key precursors of which we have detected in ants, are molecular crossroads capable of activating or inhibiting cellular metabolism depending on the cell energy state. According to the studies carried out to date, these signalling pathways are among the first to be able to slow down the effects of ageing and extend life expectancy.However, specific studies need to be carried out to understand their fine regulation and thus assess the universality of these mechanisms in animal ageing. Based on our findings, we propose three points to be further addressed to better understand the mechanisms of ageing in social insects: i) the setup of experiments testing the effectiveness of energy trade-offs involving immunity or digestion metabolism; ii) measuring the telomerase activity among castes of various species in order to explore the telomere and telomere independent roles played by this enzyme in ageing; iii) the need to think about individual longitudinal follow-up and to study wild populations, after the first necessary stages in laboratory.Doctorat en Sciences
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info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished
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Rodrigues, Regina Maria. "Fatores de adiamento do processo de institucionalização de pessoas idosas. Estudo exploratório: os beneficiários do Instituto de Ação Social das Forças Armadas, Instituto Público." Master's thesis, Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/16456.
Анотація:
Dissertação de Mestrado em Política SocialO envelhecimento da população, cuja tendência demográfica é de crescimento, representa um desafio para as instituições sociais no domínio da intervenção social. O IASFA, I.P. enquanto sistema interventor vê-se confrontado na atualidade com um número cada vez maior de beneficiários que se inscreveram para as suas Estruturas Residenciais para Pessoas Idosas (ERPI) e que depois de aguardarem em média seis anos e meio em lista de candidatos decidiram adiar o seu processo de institucionalização. Com o objetivo de identificar os fatores que determinaram esse adiamento desenhamos um estudo qualitativo, utilizando uma amostra não probabilista. A partir das entrevistas realizadas a 12 beneficiários que se tinham candidatado à ERPI do Centro de Apoio Social (CAS) de Oeiras e que adiaram a institucionalização identificamos oito fatores multidimensionais: o perfil sociodemográfico dos entrevistados, transversal aos outros fatores; a preferência por envelhecer em casa; a autonomia e a independência; a existência de uma rede social de apoio; o custo económico; a ocupação do tempo e atividades de tempos livres; assuntos pendentes e as representações sobre instituições tipo ERPI. Os fatores identificados são os mesmos que levam as pessoas a preferirem envelhecer nas suas casas e comunidades (ageing in place) ao longo do tempo.
Population ageing, which maintains a growing tendency, presents itself as a challenge for institutions responsible for social intervention. IASFA, I.P. as an intervener system, is confronted with an increasing number of beneficiaries that applied for a residential structure for elderly (ERPI) and after staying in the waiting list for, in average, six and a half years, when called, refused the admission, deciding to delay the institutionalization process. With the purpose of investigating the factors of that decision, we have drawn a qualitative study, using a non-probabilistic sample. Twelve beneficiaries that applied for ERPI of Social Support Centre (CAS) of Oeiras and decided to postpone the admission were interviewed and eight multidimensional factors were identified: socio-demographic profile (transversal to all remaining factors); preference for ageing in place; autonomy and independence; the existence of a social network of support; economic costs; time use and leisure activities; unsolved personal issues and personal beliefs of ERPI. Most of the factors identified are the same that lead people to choose growing old at their homes and communities (ageing in place)
N/A
47
Marinho, Sílvia Margarida Barros Alves. "O suporte social e a depressão no idoso." Master's thesis, [s.n.], 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10284/1935.
Анотація:
Dissertação apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Psicologia, especialização em Psicologia Clínica e da SaúdeEste estudo exploratório pretende identificar e analisar a relação entre duas variáveis fundamentais, a Satisfação com o Suporte Social e a Depressão em idosos institucionalizados. Langford e seus colaboradores (1997, citado por Rodrigues & Madeira, 2009) concluíram que à medida que o nível do suporte social do cônjuge e da família aumenta, a prevalência dos transtornos de humor diminuem. Neste sentido, foi aplicado o Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) a uma amostra inicial de 30 idosos institucionalizados, que culminou numa amostra definitiva, composta por 20 idosos sem défice cognitivo (verificado através do ponto de corte do MMSE), sem deficiência visual e/ou auditiva a qual foi constituída por 14(70%) idosos do género feminino e 6(30%) do género masculino, com idades variando entre os 65 e os 89 anos de idade (M = 79,3; D.P. = 6,05). Esta amostra foi recolhida no Lar D. Joaquina Leite Lage da Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Fafe, entre Fevereiro e Junho de 2009. Foram aplicados um Questionário Sócio-Demográfico, a Escala de Satisfação com o Suporte Social (ESSS) e a Escala de Depressão Geriátrica (EDG) para testar uma hipótese geral quanto à relação entre a Satisfação com o Suporte Social e a Depressão, e duas hipóteses específicas quanto às relações entre as variáveis Sócio-Demográficas, por um lado, e as duas variáveis principais, por outro. Os principais resultados obtidos para a H1 evidenciaram a existência de uma relação parcialmente inversa entre as variáveis Satisfação com o Suporte Social e a Depressão em idosos institucionalizados (p < 0,05), sendo o Factor 2 (Intimidade) da variável Satisfação com o Suporte Social determinante entre estas variáveis. Quanto às hipóteses específicas, esta verificaram-se parcialmente, isto é, para a H1.1, o Factor 3 (Satisfação com a Família) para a variável Género e os Factores 2 (Intimidade) e 3 (Satisfação com a Família) para a variável Comprometimento Conjugal têm um papel relevante na Satisfação com o Suporte Social; e para a H1.2, a variável Comprometimento Conjugal tem um papel relevante na Depressão. Considerando o papel importante que a satisfação com o suporte social tem para evitar o desenvolvimento de episódios depressivos, assim como na recuperação de uma situação depressiva, parece essencial uma intervenção psicossocial adequada ao idoso institucionalizado, fomentando as relações familiares, de intimidade e de comprometimento conjugal de modo a evitar o agravamento da situação própria da depressão geriátrica que no limite pode levar ao suicídio do idoso. This explanatory study intends to identify and analyse the relation between two essential variables, Social Support Satisfaction and Depression in institutionalized elders. Langford and his collaborators (1997, quoted by Rodrigues & Madeira, 2009) concluded that as the level of the spouse and family’s social support increases, the prevalence of mood swings decreases. Considering this, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was applied to a starting sample of 30 institutionalized elderly, which ended up in a definite sample of 20 elderly with no cognitive deficit (verified using the cutting point of the MMSE), with no visual and/or hearing deficiency which consisted of 14(70%) female elders and 6(30%) of male elders, between 65 and 89 years old (M = 79,3; D.P. = 6,05). This sample was taken at the D. Joaquina Leite Lage Nursing Home of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia in Fafe between February and June 2009. We used a Social-Demographic Questionnaire, the Satisfaction Scale with Social Support (ESSS) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (EDG) to test a general hypothesis as to the relation between Satisfaction with Social Support and Depression, and two specific hypotheses as to the relations between the Social-Demographic variables and as to the main variables. The main results obtained for H1 highlighted the existence of a partially reversed relation between the variables Satisfaction with Social Support and Depression in institutionalized elders (p < 0,05), showing that Factor 2 (Intimacy) of the variable Satisfaction with Social Support as determinant in these two variables. As to the specific hypotheses, they were partially present, meaning that, for H1.1, Factor 3 (Satisfaction with Family) to the Social-Demographic variable Gender and Factors 2 (Intimacy) and 3 (Satisfaction with Family) to the Social-Demographic variable Commitment to Spouse have a significant role in Depression. Considering the important role that social support plays in avoiding the development of depressive episodes, as well as in the recovery of a depressive state, it seems essential to have an adequate psycho-social intervention for the institutionalized elderly, developing family relationships, intimacy and commitment to spouses as to prevent the escalation of a situation of geriatric depression which can, in an extreme, lead to the elder’s suicide.
48
Charalambidou, Anna. "Language and the ageing self : a social interactional approach to identity constructions of Greek Cypriot older women." Thesis, King's College London (University of London), 2012. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/language-and-the-ageing-self(161d3568-777c-4ef7-8f04-d7c0d25e8abe).html.
Анотація:
This study sheds light on the largely under-investigated area of older women’s identity constructions in peer-group conversations, focusing, in the first instance, on age identities. Self-recorded conversational data of a group of elderly female friends are used, supplemented by ethnographic observations, interviews and a sample of Greek Cypriot media. A social interactional approach to identities, within an ethnomethodological theoretical framework, and a toolkit from membership categorisation analysis and conversation analysis are employed. The discussion focuses on certain phenomena that make relevant old-age identities, either explicitly or as evident from previous research, and also on practices that constitute a very frequent conversational routine of the participants. More specifically, the use of old-age categorisations, painful tellings and tellings of homemaking activities are investigated. Firstly, age identities, as they emerge from the situated use of explicit old-age categorial references and terms of address, are analysed. It is shown that, through the employment of age categorisations, the participants repeatedly disassociate the self from decline-related old-age identities. Secondly, tellings of painful experiences of oneself, an activity that has been found, in earlier research, to be inextricably linked with elderly discourse, as well as their humorous rendering, are examined. It is shown that ill health, bereavement and death are constructed as non-problematic topics of discussion and as normal and expected states. Thirdly, the interactional construction of homemaking activities is investigated. It is found that the informants place great emphasis on claiming the identities of culinary expert and good homemaker and by doing so they also negotiate a host of other extra-situational identities, such as gender, friendship and family roles and ultimately age. On the whole, this bottom-up analysis contributes to ageing and communication research by foregrounding the importance of peer-group interactions and by giving a rare view into older women’s communicative practices and situated understanding of self.
49
Doh, Daniel. "Towards active ageing: A comparative study of experiences of older Ghanaians in Australia and Ghana." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2017. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2010.
Анотація:
Population ageing has become a central feature of the 21st century, as most countries search for economically viable strategies to support and manage their ageing populations to live in a dignified way. In 2002, the World Health Organisation (WHO) proposed the active ageing policy framework to guide countries to develop policies that promote the quality of life for their older people. However, the interpretation and application of the active ageing model in the literature and policy discussions are inconclusive on the most important elements that promote the quality of life of older people. The discussions have largely focused on health promotion and economic aspects of the model without much attention to other aspects. In addition, there are questions about the extent to which the active ageing model is adaptable to different contexts. The lack of consensus among researchers and policy actors on the meaning of active ageing, and its application to different contexts has resulted in calls for the need for studies that explore active ageing from the perspectives of older people themselves.
This thesis presents findings from a study that examined the meaning of active ageing from the lived experiences of older Ghanaians living in Ghana and Australia, and compared the findings theoretically and conceptually with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) active ageing model. The study also investigated the extent to which research participants’ socio-cultural and political contexts influenced their respective experiences and the meaning they ascribed to active ageing, and the factors that contributed to their perceived quality of life at old age. The study was designed as an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) in combination with a comparative case study situated within the life course theoretical framework. The study drew on an in-depth qualitative data collected from 30 older Ghanaians, comprising 15 who were living in Ghana and 15 who were living in Australia.
Two key findings emerged from this research. First, experientially, active ageing is multidimensional and comprises social interaction, activity, health, independence, work and employment, spirituality, happiness, and public safety. However, social interaction—which included strong family support systems, friendship networks and community activities—emerged as the single most significant experiential meaning of active ageing, and was considered critical for quality of life at old age. Despite the importance of social interaction for research participants’ quality of life, comparatively, the study found that social interaction is subsumed under the participation pillar of the WHO’s active ageing model, which is not particularly well understood or developed by policy makers compared with the pillar of health. In addition, there were notable variations in participants’ experiential meaning of active ageing between respondents in Ghana and Australia, reinforcing how different policy contexts shape people’s experiences.
Second, the study found four types of quality of life from the typologies of quality of life at old age created in the data using a matrix of high and low levels of social interaction and access to essential social policy services. The types of quality of life in the matrix were optimum agers, happy poor agers, disconnected agers and destitute agers. The data showed that acquiring, creating and maintaining a high level of social interaction together with the development of knowledge, useful skills and personal initiatives in a favourable social, economic and health policy environment are likely to lead to optimum ageing.
The overall contribution of this thesis relates to the need for active ageing stakeholders to contextualise the WHO’s active ageing model based on the perspectives and experiences of older people within their respective socio-cultural and political contexts. In addition, population ageing policy makers may need to consider taking steps to strengthen older people’s family systems, while creating opportunities for them to deepen their social networking and communal living. The study shows the usefulness of creating avenues for older people’s continuous engagement in activities that allow social interaction. Finally, the study also illustrates how optimum ageing occurs as a culmination of life course events, making it imperative for social policies to facilitate sound human capital development, as they have implications for income and the creation of assets needed to fuel social interaction.
50
Mezzouj, Fatima. "Parcours migratoire des personnes âgées immigrées : trajectoires de vie et accompagnement social." Thesis, Université Grenoble Alpes (ComUE), 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016GREAH038.
Анотація:
La problématique du vieillissement de la population immigrée en France n’est pas récente. Elle a pris une importance particulière depuis quelques années suite à la prise de conscience du vieillissement général de la population. Notre recherche s’intéresse en premier lieu aux personnes immigrées en France, âgées de 60 ans et plus et originaires du Maroc, de l’Algérie et de la Tunisie, ensuite aux professionnels de l’action sociale (personnel soignant et travailleurs sociaux pour l’essentiel) et également aux futurs professionnels dans ces mêmes domaines et ce, dans le cadre d’une formation organisée dans plusieurs régions en France sur l’accompagnement des personnes âgées immigrées.Notre travail de thèse concerne le parcours migratoire et les trajectoires de vie en France des personnes âgées immigrées originaires du Maghreb, à partir d’une interrogation centrale : « Comment les personnes âgées immigrées analysent leur parcours de vie en France ? A l’arrière-plan de cette interrogation, se profile celle de l’accompagnement de cette population ». Afin de répondre à cette question, notre hypothèse centrale s’est construite à partir de la théorie de l’acteur : « Au-delà des discours d’un certain nombre d’acteurs qui les confinent dans le misérabilisme et des difficultés auxquelles ils ont été confrontés à leur arrivée en France, les immigrés âgés analysent leur parcours migratoire et leurs trajectoires de vie de manière positive ». Du point de vue méthodologique, nous avons nourri notre recherche en nous appuyant sur des rapports, des comptes rendus, des analyses statistiques, des comités de pilotage notamment dans le cadre de la formation « accompagnement des personnes âgées immigrées », des questionnaires complétés par les participants à la formation et bien sûr des entretiens semi-directifs. Enfin, trois éléments essentiels structurent notre thèse de doctorat. Le premier élément est qu’il y a un changement de paradigme par rapport aux immigrés âgés. Nos analyses nous ont permis de passer du paradigme de l’immigré en souffrance permanente subissant les contraintes de la vie à celui de l’acteur en capacité d’appréhender sa situation de manière objective en la sortant de ce regard misérabiliste. Le second, est l’accompagnement social. Nous nous sommes interrogés sur les réponses à formuler face à cette population et en avons déduit qu’il est important de mobiliser une approche transversale sans fragmenter l’accompagnement, en cela le travail partenarial semble fondamental. Le troisième point, concerne les pratiques inspirantes. Ces pratiques ne sortent pas du néant, elles sont le fruit de réflexions émanant de groupes de travail intersectoriels avec des professionnels provenant d’horizons divers et des personnes potentiellement bénéficiaires de ces pratiquesThe issue of the ageing of the immigrant population in France is not a recent one. The subject has taken on particular importance in recent years in the context of the ageing of the French population in general. Our research focuses first of all on immigrants in France aged 60 or older from African Maghreb - Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia - and secondly on social services employees (primarily healthcare personnel and social workers) who have availed of training sessions on the care of older immigrants which were organized in various French regions. Our study also includes professionals who will work in the same field in the future. Our thesis concerns the migratory journey and life paths of older Maghrebin immigrants in France, focused on one central question: how do these older immigrants describe and analyse their own experience in France? Behind this question lies the broader picture of how these immigrants have been looked after and treated by their host country. In order to answer this question, our central hypothesis is based on the actor’s theory: “above and beyond the common perception that reduces the immigrants’ experience to one of misery and difficulties encountered upon their arrival in France, the elderly immigrants view their migratory journeys and life trajectories in a positive light.” In terms of methodology, we based our research on numerous studies, statistical analyses, and various committee reports, particularly those produced in the context of training sessions devoted to older immigrant populations, and associated questionnaires completed by the immigrants themselves. Semi-directed interviews with immigrants also constitute a fundamental part of the research. Finally, our doctoral thesis highlights three key points: firstly, that there is a paradigm shift in terms of the perception of older immigrants. Our study underscores the evolution from the image of a perpetually suffering immigrant weighed down by the constraints of life to that of an active player capable of analysing his or her own situation objectively, far from preconceived notions of misery and victimization. The second point concerns social care. In considering how best to respond to the needs of this population, we deemed it important to adopt a transversal approach in which partnership is fundamental. The third point relates to best practices. These practices are not purely theoretical, but are the tangible result of brainstorming and reflection by intersectoral working groups made up of professionals drawn from diverse backgrounds as well as the beneficiaries of the practices themselves