bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Judging the Competence of Older People: An Alternative?
Authors: Carney Terry
Published: November 2008

Only a minority of adults of all age groups experience difficulty with their finances and affairs, due to the combined effect of their diminished competence and their social circumstances in placing them at risk, from themselves, or from family, friends or others (well-meaning or otherwise). If unable to manage independently or with informal assistance, formal intervention (guardianship) may be required. Neither the traditional formality of courts, nor the tests and clinical processes of medicine are well equipped to judge this in the abstract. Informal (family) models have their place but they (and other options) pose ethical difficulties. A more practical approach is that taken by Australia's multi-disciplinary panels.
The Family and Ageing in Korea: A New Concern and Challenge
Authors: Choi Sung-Jae
Published: November 2008

Many changes in familial factors under the influence of modernisation have limited the Korean family's function or capability to support and care for elderly members, and are contributing to the problems of ageing. Ageing as a social problem is a new concern in Korea which has never been experienced before, and a new challenge to the family and the state. It requires the state's responsibility to support elderly people and to strengthen the family in its care function by utilising services provided by non-familial persons. The problems of ageing may be categorised into four types: (1) poverty and economic dependence (2) difficulties in health care (3) absence or ambiguity of appropriate roles within the family (4) psychological conflicts and feelings of alienation. Present social welfare provisions are far from sufficient to respond to ageing in Korean society. Problems associated with current policies are discussed and recommendations for future development are made. Ways of promoting the traditional value of filial piety, which has acted as a barrier to the development of social welfare policy for elderly people in Korea, are suggested. For the value to be upheld and developed as one promoting welfare provision for elderly Koreans, the ways of practising the value could be reconstructed so that they may meet the needs of modern Korean life; practising filial piety at a societal level should be emphasised. The roles and responsibilities between the family and the state are also discussed.
Early Retirement Decisions and How They Affect Later Quality of Life
Authors: Maule A.J. , Cliff D. R. , Taylor R.
Published: November 2008

Older workers are often placed in an unenviable position in the face of stereotypes which define them as increasingly marginal in the work force, and view retirement in terms of status loss and disengagement. Yet voluntary early retirement schemes have been a recent feature of work organisations of all types in Britain, Western Europe and North America. The nature of the decision-making processes of those involved in such schemes has not been widely researched and such studies as have been conducted have not drawn on the existing framework of decision analysis. This paper reports the findings of two linked studies into the early retirement decisions of men working in Britain for a large multinational company in the manufacturing sector. The first investigated the factors deemed to be important for a group of men at the point of decision whilst the second investigated both the factors deemed to be important and the quality of life of a group of men who had taken the decision to retire early between 18 months and 3 years previously. Both studies indicated that the decision-making process is complex and cannot be reduced to single-factors like health or financial status. The most important factor in the quality of life of early retirees was the matching of expectations of further work at the point of decision. The studies illustrated the utility of a decision analysis approach to the study of early retirement.
Does It Matter How You Slice It? The Relationship Between Population Ageing and Use of Hospital and Posthospital Care in the United States
Authors: Steiner Andrea
Published: November 2008

In the context of demographic transition, one would expect public health planners to allocate resources according to changing needs. This paper explores the effects that definitions of population ageing have on the images of, and subsequent responses to, demographic transition in the United States. Data are drawn from the 1988 U.S. Census and from a 20-percent national random sample of Medicare patients during the same period (n = 1.9 million). Main findings are that supply and use of acute services do differ according to definitions and the way in which population ageing has occurred; that, regardless of definition, older people in high-ageing states make far greater use of posthospital home health care than in low-ageing states; and that, although individual-level clinical factors appear central to rehabilitative decisions, all states seem to use very old age (85-plus) as a proxy to determine who goes where, with low-ageing states also affected by structural constraints at the hospital and market levels.
Financial Management and Elderly People with Dementia in the U.K.: As Much a Question of Confusion as Abuse?
Authors: Langan Joan , Means Robin
Published: November 2008

This article explores a range of issues relating to financial management and elderly people with dementia. The law relating to personal finances for those who lack capacity is outlined and discussed with a stress upon its complexity and the key gaps in present coverage. The article goes on to outline findings from research on these issues carried out within a social services authority in the north of England. Professionals were found to have a wide range of anxieties relating to what they felt was the financial abuse of their elderly clients with dementia, as well as more general concern about how best to deal with financial issues for this group on a day to day basis. The financial abuse of elderly people does occur, but the article concludes by arguing that the issues raised by the research are wider for three main reasons. First, relatives and professionals are often ignorant or confused by the options available to them rather than being intent on defrauding elderly people. Second, the desire to hand down and to receive money from the one generation to the next is a powerful force in society and elderly people with dementia may wish their children rather than the state to have their money. And third, fee assessment and collection for this group raise real practical challenges to social services.
Improving Support To Carers: A Considered Response To Parker's Critical Review
Authors: Challis David , Davies Bleddyn
Published: November 2008

Parker's review in the last issue has provided us with a number of questions concerning the relationship between case management services and the needs ofcarers (Parker, 1990a). Essentially, she makes three main points; the first is to question whether there is evidence that some case management services can improve outcomes for carers, the second is about experimental studies, and the third is to raise the question of the financial costs experienced by carers.
Sociopsychological Perspectives on Older People's Language and Communication
Authors: Williams Angie , Giles Howard
Published: November 2008

This paper overviews a series of recent investigations of the sociopsychological meanings of older people's language and communication. The first set of studies investigated young people's perceptions of younger and older voices. Older voices were, in general, downgraded relative to younger voices by young people. In addition, younger people's messages were recalled significantly better than older people's messages. The next set of studies was concerned with whether people seek information differently from people of various ages. The findings indicate that different questions were posed depending on the target's age. Further studies show that young people's information-seeking strategies draw on various ageist assumptions to formulate questions to both younger and older targets. The next investigation examined how young people address both younger and older people when they are requesting different kinds of assistance from them. Not only do we find ageist assumptions mediating the kinds of compliance-gaining young people use with older people, but also negative stereotypes emerge when younger people are asked what kinds of compliance-gaining strategies older people themselves usually adopt. Finally, the above findings are meshed with a new model being developed concerning the relationships between language, health and the elderly.
Issues in Physician—Elderly Patient Interaction
Authors: Adelman Ronald D. , Greene Michele G. , Charont Rita
Published: November 2008

The basis of an effective and satisfactory physician–patient relationship is found in the communication which occurs between these two individuals. By studying the interaction, we can learn much about the identities of the physician and patient, and how they view each other and the world. The interactional dynamics between physician and patient are unique. For example, even in initial medical encounters which involve the meeting of two strangers, patients and physicians deal with concerns as diverse as life and death as well as other intimate or personal issues. Researchers of physician–patient interaction seek to discover how communication evolves and how that communication reveals the multiple levels of meaning in the medical encounter.
Talk to Elders: Social Structure, Attitudes and Forms of Address
Authors: Wood Linda A. , Ryan Ellen Bouchard
Published: November 2008

In the present paper we analyse some of the problems in talk to elders by examining evaluative dimensions of talk in general and of address forms in particular. We first introduce status and solidarity as primary dimensions underlying talk. We briefly review research on attitudes and talk to elders, and develop a framework in terms of status and solidarity for understanding the evaluation of talk to elders. The framework, speech accommodation theory, and politeness theory are then employed in a specific analysis of various aspects of problematic address usage: title and last name v. first name; third person; first person plural; and no-naming. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the analysis for future research, for practical applications, and for the extension and integration of theory
Day Care in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands: A Comparative Study
Authors: Nies Henk , Tester Susan , Nuijens Jan Maarten
Published: November 2008

The United Kingdom and the Netherlands differ significantly with respect to structure, policy, legislation and financing of their care delivery systems. Day care services for elderly people thus developed in considerably different policy and socio-historical contexts. In this article various aspects of day care in the two countries are compared. The most marked distinctions between the countries concern supply and distribution of services. The practice of day care, however, appears to be very similar, as indicated by similar objectives, care and activities, staffing and premises, and demographic, social and medical characteristics of users. Some differences are noted concerning problems with transport and organisational linkages of day care services. It is concluded that the supply and distribution of services are largely determined by government policy and that design, quality and day-today practice are primarily a consequence of professional standards and the needs of users and their relatives. Further, a new conceptualisation of day care is advocated: different terminology, more flexibility and a wider range of activities. Finally, the future contributions of day care within both countries' policy contexts are discussed.
Generativity in Culture Context: The Self, Death and Immortality as Experienced by Older American Women
Authors: Alexander Baine B. , Rubinstein Robert L. , Goodman Marcene , Luborsky Mark
Published: November 2008

Theoretical approaches to conceptualising the notion of generativity have been psychologically or psychosocially based and assume generativity to be a universal phenomenon. Because psychological issues are subsumed within a cultural context, we suggest that generativity is not a universal psychological principle but rather a cultural construct. In this paper we argue that generativity must be analysed as a product of American culture and its embeddedness in individualism. Through an analysis of ethnographically based interviews with 161 older women we illustrate how generative behaviour is inextricably tied to a constellation of American beliefs about the nature of the self, the meaning of death, and attempts to attain immortality that are informed by the ideology of individualism.
‘I Don't Feel Old’: Subjective Ageing and the Search for Meaning in Later Life
Authors: Thompson Paul
Published: November 2008

A critique of the study of ageing by sociologists and historians is provided in this paper, on the basis of the comparative neglect of life history studies across the whole lifespan. It points to the skewed nature of studies reported in the literature. As a corrective, results from a UK life history based study are presented. It focuses on leisure, grand- parenting and intimate relationships between adults, leading to conclusions about the relationship between class factors in the determination of late life experiences and self perceptions of the meaning of old age.
Forum Selecting Senior Citizens for the American Vice Presidency
Authors: Kiser George C.
Published: November 2008

One of the most significant trends in twentieth century America is the constant expansion of the senior citizen population (age 65 and over) – in both absolute and relative terms. While social scientists have developed a huge literature on America's older population, they have largely ignored its vast political implications. This topic is particularly timely inasmuch as senior citizen George Bush has replaced senior citizen Ronald Reagan in the Presidency, two-thirds of the Supreme Court justices are past age 65, and as usual many of the most powerful members of Congress are senior citizens. This article turns attention to the nation's eight senior citizen Vice Presidents, focusing primarily on explanations for their nomination. It also examines trends in the incidence of senior citizen Vice Presidents. Although the nation has had such Vice Presidents during each third of its history (the first one inaugurated in 1805, the most recent one in 1974), they have served with relatively greater frequency since the 1920s. Probable factors underlying this trend include continually increasing life expectancy, the growth in the senior citizen segment of the nation's population and its political mobilisation, and some decline in ageism.
What is the Justification for a Qualitative Approach to Ageing Studies?
Authors: Murphy John W. , Longino Charles F.
Published: November 2008

In this essay, a theoretical approach that underpins qualitative research is discussed, thereby illustrating how this outlook differs philosophically from that which underlies quantitative investigations. The purpose of this essay is to promote a firm theoretical foundation for qualitative inquiry in ageing research, which appears to be neglected in many current studies. Key to the theoretical shift attendant to qualitative research is the idea that every aspect of social life is embedded in symbolism. Therefore, those who do research in ageing should be sensitive to the ways in which persons interpret their lives, instead of simply focusing on empirical indicators. Only in this way can socially relevant research be conducted.
Caring for China's Ageing Population: The Residential Option — A Case Study of Shanghai
Authors: Harper Sarah
Published: November 2008

China is a rapidly ageing nation. With nearly 10 % of its population over sixty, forecasts predict that this proportion will double by 2025. Such ageing is particularly acute in some of the large cities, where the impact of population policies has combined with lengthening life expectancies, to increase rapidly the percentages of elderly residents. Following a brief review of health and welfare policies directed towards elderly people, the paper draws on documentary and field research, carried out in Shanghai, to assess the current development and administration of residential homes in that city. Using a variety of case- study material the paper discusses the current situation of residents in relation to their former life experiences. It appears that in communist China, as in western democracies, former positions and allegiances in younger life help construct the experience of old age.
Towards a Theory of Dementia Care: Personhood and Well-being
Authors: Kitwood Tom , Bredin Kathleen
Published: November 2008

Some foundations are laid for a social-psychological theory of dementia care. Central to this is a conceptualisation of personhood, in which both subjectivity and intersubjectivity are fully recognised. Evidence is brought forward concerning relative well-being even in those who are, from a cognitive standpoint, severely demented. In the light of this it is argued that the key psychological task in dementia care is that of keeping the sufferer's personhood in being. This requires us to see personhood in social rather than individual terms.
Innovations and Care of the Elderly: The Cutting-edge of Change for Social Welfare Systems. Examples from Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom
Authors: baldock John , everst Adalbert
Published: November 2008

This article is based on an international study which investigated innovations in home care for the elderly in three European countries:Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It is argued that the particular changes taking place in services for the elderly may be indicative of what will happen more generally throughout welfare systems. This is because patterns observed in an area of acute pressure are often precursors of further developments. Welfare systems change first at points of pressure where established policies and solutions are no longer working or cannot be sustained. Innovation and reform become necessary. This is certainly true of social care policies for the elderly in industrial countries. It is no coincidence that in each of the three countries we studied government has commissioned major inquiries into the operation of the care system and that the early 39905 will see the introduction of substantial reforms. We argue that the changes that are taking place, although mediated by particular national traditions and politics, have much in common. They are part of a shift away from the state-dominated post-war welfare settlements towards more diffuse and pturalist forms of social care. The frail elderly, for demographic and etonomic reasons, are in tne front line of this shift to new patterns.
Long-term Care Policies in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Maddoc Georgel L.
Published: November 2008

The European Communities provide a contemporary naturally occurring laboratory for the comparative study of social policy formation and implementation. This is particularly the case regarding social policies for ageing populations. The substantive focus of this paper is long-term care policy and, more particularly, policy choices regarding relative emphasis on medical in contrast to social care of dependent older adults. The strategy of the paper is to discuss, first, the limits of comparative theories of social policy formation in predicting policies in a highly value-laden topic like long-term care. The paper then summarises factors which may explain the extraordinary but inconclusive attention given to long-term care policy in the United States. Finally, the paper outlines some questions about LTC policy in the EC which would benefit from comparative policy analysis. Particular attention will be directed to the balance of medical and social care for dependent elderly people, the role of housing policy in the context of general care policy, and the generic issue of public and private sector interaction in welfare states. Systematic exchange of LTC information among EC countries and between these countries and the US is encouraged.
Informal Caregivers of elderly people: an european review
Authors: Dooghe Gilbert
Published: November 2008

Europe is experiencing a rapid increase in the numbers and proportions of the very old, and the number of older adults with chronic or longstanding diseases and functional limitations is rising. Between 1980 and 2025, the population aged 80 years and over is projected to increase 2·15 times, from in million in 1980 to 23·7 million. As those aged 80 years and over have been the most rapidly growing age-group, it is evident that the prevalence of physical and mental disabilities is of concern. Many suffer from chronic conditions which compromise daily living, although a substantial group are in good health and with little disability.203 Nevertheless as the average age increases, more people need some form of assistance with the activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, preparing meals and errands (ADL). Reaching the age of 80 years does not necessarily mean losing one's independence; nevertheless the risk increases with age.
Geriatric Medicine and the Categorisation of Old Age; The Historical Linkage
Authors: Kirk Henning
Published: November 2008

Geriatric medicine became a part of medical science in the middle of the nineteenth century, more than haifa century before ‘geriatrics’ was named, and a century before it was established in British health care. It was born in Germany along with ancient theories that ageing was in itself a disease, but was increasingly influenced by new pathological and physiological knowledge on ageing and disease, and further developed during the great French clinical era of the latter part of that century. As part of the development of this particular branch of medical science, a gradual categorisation of old age took place, with much credit to the Belgian statistician Quetelet, who may be regarded as the inventor of the category ‘the elderly’ defined by age. The developing biomedical images of old age were given much space in encyclopaedias, dictionaries and popular health literature after 1870. Therefore, the defined existence of old-age limits must also have influenced the legislators responsible for the first national Acts on old- age pension, which now celebrate their centenary.
Social Integration and Caregiving among Seniors in Bermuda
Authors: Chappell Neena L. , Marshall Victor W.
Published: November 2008

This paper examines social interaction among seniors in Bermuda, the relationship of various interaction variables with psychological or emotional well-being, and caregiving. The data come from the first ever social science survey conducted among seniors in this country. The findings are compared with selected industrialised countries. Bermudian seniors have strong social ties, somewhat stronger than have been reported in other developed nations. Overwhelmingly, perceived health is related to life satisfaction and functional disability is related to self-esteem among Bermudian seniors. The lack of relationship with social support may well be due to the lack of variation in social support, with virtually everyone having strong social ties. Informal assistance is strong in Bermuda as has been demonstrated for seniors elsewhere. Similarly, the predictors of informal assistance were no surprise, including functional disability, perceptions of health, and having a household member. That is, Bermudian seniors were somewhat distinctive, particularly in their strong social ties, but otherwise appear to be quite similar to seniors in other developed nations. Their geographical isolation and relative small size are believed to be related to their strong social network.
The Status of Rural Elderly in Southern Italy: a Political Economic View
Authors: Bonanno Alessandro , Calasanti Toni M.
Published: November 2008

Discussions of the position of the elderly have typically been cast in terms of demographic considerations and/or level of industrialisation. In contradistinction to this approach we employ a political economic perspective which reveals the contradictions present in the situation of aged small farmers in southern Italy. Using a dialectic approach, it is argued that the function performed by the small farm sector, that of keeper of the surplus labour force, is extended to deal with the elderly population. Within this context, rurality assumes a permanent posture as the aged farmers are maintained at the margin of the labour market and are eventually expelled from it. At the same time, this farming segment substitutes for other social agencies as a caretaker for a portion of the older population. This function, however, creates social tensions for it mandates continuous State support for the survival of these farms, demands which are resisted by the bourgeoisie and certain segments of the working class. Even if it were deemed appropriate, the State cannot extend its support to small farms without simultaneously calling forth a fiscal and legitimation crisis stemming from its policy coverage.
Leadership among the Aged: a Study of Engagement Among Third-Age Professionals in Israel
Authors: Chetkow-Yanoov Benyamin
Published: November 2008

Although much has been written about the problems and suffering of aged persons in contemporary societies, other conditions exist in which third-age persons flourish. This study focuses on the unique qualities of members of professions who not only remain active, but are also engaged in leadership roles (the outcome variable). The study distinguished between leaders and non-leaders, and explored individual as well as groupings of independent variables which may account for these differences. Data were gathered, by means of mailed questionnaires, from persons of retirement age in seven professions in Israel. Data-analysis, besides testing the hypotheses, included devoting attention to interrelationships among independent variables and leadership behaviours of different types of leaders, as well as to leadership patterns within different professions.

Leadership is seen as adding significantly to the richness of the retirement years, and to an ageing person's ability to contribute to improving organisational, neighbourhood, and community life. Implications are suggested for planners of pre-retirement programmes, leisure-time services, and voluntarism opportunities for today's aged.
The Politics of Ageing in America
Authors: Estes Carroll L.
Published: November 2008

This paper discusses the politics of ageing in the US within a political economy framework. Four forces are shaping US policy: austerity, federalism, deregulation, and the medical-industrial complex. Two major trends in the development of policy are the commodification of the aged and their needs and a class basis for the distribution of benefits, differentiating the deserving elderly from the undeserving elderly. Ideologies of individualism, self-help, privatisation, and procompetition are being used to delegitimate public programmes and to reduce expectations about what government can and should do to ameliorate social problems.

Recent policy is characterised not only by a reduction of federal funds for domestic social spending, but also a restructuring of the community care delivery system as it operates in the private, non-profit sector of the economy. The emergent processes of this restructuring, e.g., targeting of services based on ability to pay and individual characteristics, medicalisation, and absorption of non-profit agencies by for-profits are discussed. These policies and the consequences that flow from them are viewed in light of the search for new sources of capital investment in the domestic markets. This analysis raises important political questions concerning the transformation of relations between the state and the non-profit sector.
Legislating Filial Piety: the Australian Experience
Authors: Gunn Peter A.
Published: November 2008

The division of responsibility for aged people in modern society, between the State and their adult children, has received little systematic attention although the matter remains a perennial item of public debate. This paper reports the Australian experience of debate and legislation in this field. It is argued that the State assumed responsibility for the support of the elderly when, under pressure from prevailing demographic and economic changes, nineteenth-century public welfare, charitable, penal and insane institutions were unable to respond. This claim is illustrated by reference to the legislation, which was passed in several of the States, requiring the provision of intergenerational support for close categories of kin. The reasons for the failure of the measures legislating filial piety are discussed and an assessment is offered of the utility of such schemes.
Inter-provincial Patterns of Ageing in Turkey: a Socio-economic Analysis
Authors: Gurkan A. Arslan , Gilleard Chris J.
Published: November 2008

An attempt has been made to account for the marked heterogeneity in the proportions of the elderly people and in cohort survivorship into old age, between Turkey's 67 provinces in terms of current socio-economic characteristics of the provinces. Because of the difficulties involved in meeting the assumptions of ordinary least squares regression analysis, the multivariate method selected involved the application of principal components regression to determine the patterns of covariance between age structure, ‘survivorship’ and socio-economic conditions. The results indicated that an aged provincial population was typically associated with a rural, agriculturally developed economy, and negatively associated with both an urbanised, industrially developed economy and a rural undeveloped agricultural economy. Survivorship into old age, on the other hand, although being negatively associated with a rural undeveloped agricultural economy, was positively related with both industrial and agricultural development. The role of rural-to-urban migration was felt to confound the relationship between urbanisation, industrialisation and population ageing, suggested by demographic transition theory. Finally some of the implications of the study for the social and economic position of the elderly in Turkey were noted and possible policy directions were identified.
Becoming a Grandparent
Authors: Cunningham-Burley Sarah
Published: November 2008

Focusing on a neglected area of the life cycle, this paper explores the meaning and significance of becoming a grandparent, from the perspective of a sample of couples, becoming grandparents for the first time.

The paper falls into four sections. The first considers why grand-parenthood has been a neglected area in family sociology and in research on the life cycle. The second and third sections use interview data from a prospective study of eighteen couples. The first of these briefly documents the process of becoming a grandparent, from the time when the news is first heard, through the birth of the baby and up to nine months later. The second of these identifies the meaning and significance which these people attached to ‘becoming a grandparent’ and to the role of‘being a grandparent’. The final section discusses the problems which are involved in studying grandparenthood, and in attempting to provide an account of its meaning and significance.
Japanese Teinen Taishoku: How Cultural Values Affect Retirement
Authors: McCallum John
Published: November 2008

Recent international research on retirement neglects the macro social context in which the process occurs. In an attempt to redress this neglect this paper analyses the phenomenon of retirement in Japan. It is argued, firstly, that different understandings of egalitarianism and individualism structure public policies about retirement in different countries. Japan with its different culture but highly developed economy provides a unique point of comparison with other developed countries because it can provide evidence of cultural values affecting individual motivations to action. In Japan, a strong group orientation as opposed to individualism in other developed countries has two consequences relevant to retirement. Firstly, individuals are unwilling to separate from their work group and, secondly, they are not socialised for leisure. Evidence is presented on how macro social factors influence work participation and attitudes. Finally, multivariate analyses show that cultural factors operate in conjunction with economic ones in retirement decisions. It is concluded that macro-social factors cannot be neglected in studying retirement and that caution is needed in taking policy innovations for dealing with population ageing from one culture and another.
Intergenerational Transfers and Public Expenditure on the Elderly in Modern Britain
Authors: Johnson Paul , Falkingham Jane
Published: November 2008

In the United States, much attention has recently been directed to the issue of whether the welfare system has become over-generous to the retired population, at the expense of families with children. The proportion of the US elderly population living in poverty has fallen significantly in the last fifteen years while the number of poor children has increased rapidly, and it has been suggested that this lack of investment in the next generation of workers may have disastrous longterm consequences for the U.S. economy. This paper considers whether similar trends are evident in Britain. It reviews data on the poverty and income of the elderly population, and finds little unequivocal evidence of relative economic gain over the last two decades, although it is clear that many children have suffered from the recent rise in unemployment-induced poverty. It also looks at direct public expenditure on the elderly through both the pension and the health and personal social services systems, and finds no evidence of a transfer of public resources away from children and towards the elderly population. The paper concludes that the British welfare state has been remarkably neutral in its allocation of resources between generations, and that, in the British context, any discussion of inter-generational conflict for welfare resources establishes a false dichotomy, because economic inequality within broad age groups is much greater than inequality between age groups.
Themes in Soviet Social Gerontology
Authors: Howe Anna L.
Published: November 2008

This paper presents a review of current research in Soviet gerontology. It begins by establishing the origins of current research themes in the early investigations of pre- and early post-Revolution gerontologists. Five main areas of current research interest are then outlined: theoretical demography, longevity, physiology of labour, socio-hygiene and international collaborative studies. Some similarities and differences in approaches and emphases in Soviet and western gerontology are noted, and concluding comments address the need to recognise the social contexts in which research frameworks are developed.
Kinship, Responsibility and Care for Elderly People
Authors: Allan Graham
Published: November 2008

As is now widely recognised, children, but especially daughters, are often involved in providing their elderly infirm parent(s) with care and tending. This paper seeks to examine two aspects of this care provision. First, how it relates to the nature of kinship solidarity between parents and adult children during other phases of their lives. More specifically, it will be suggested that while children are usually thought to bear some responsibility for their parents' welfare, actually providing support can none the less entail a far more extensive commitment than is normally expected of them. Yet the paradox is that such caring often seems to intensify feelings of responsibility rather than generate a sense of moral worth amongst those most highly involved. The second part of the paper examines some of the factors responsible for this. It will argue that the responses of carers to their situation need to be understood in terms of the immediate social environment in which they find themselves. In particular, what needs to be recognised is the sense of individual, rather than shared or collective, responsibility which develops.
Familial Support for the Elderly in the Past: the Case of London's Working Class in the Early 1930s
Authors: Gordon Chris
Published: November 2008

This paper takes as its starting point the historical debate about the respective roles of family and state in providing, where necessary, for the elderly population. Using the original data cards from the New Survey of London it is possible to consider this in the light of the experience of the working class in London in the early 1930s by analysing data on household composition and income. This is the first time that data on household composition have been assembled for the period after 1881 and before the Census authorities themselves began systematically publishing results from 1951. The picture which emerges, supported by analyses of the income of the elderly, suggests that in this period the role of the family was small, though important no doubt in certain critical situations. It is recognised however that analyses of household structure go only part of the way in illuminating the very complex patterns of assistance which existed. We go on therefore to consider the limitations of this approach and speculate briefly on wider kinship networks, and their potential for assistance.
FORUM: Adulthood and Old Age under apartheid: A Psychosocial Consideration
Authors: Johnson Malcolm , Kivnick Helen Q.
Published: November 2008

Based on Erik H. Erikson's life-cycle model as clarified by Erikson, Erikson, and Kivnick, this theoretical paper considers psychosocial development in the adulthood and old age of South Africa's black majority population, under the oppressive laws of apartheid. The author draws on empirical observations made during three months of fieldwork in South Africa. The paper rests on the propositions that apartheid may be expected to interfere with healthy psychosocial development in South African blacks throughout the life cycle, and that cultural strengths – exemplified by traditional singing – function as counterbalancing resources that promote psychosocial health, nonetheless. Adulthood and old age are discussed to illustrate the way black South Africans must negotiate every stage of life under the powerful, opposing influences of apartheid and indigenous culture.
En La Tercera Edad: New Programmes to Promote the Health of Older People in Costa Rica
Authors: Checkoway Barry , Morales-Martinez Fernando
Published: November 2008

Older people are increasing in number and proportion of the population in Latin America and, as they do, their health and social needs are becoming more apparent. This paper describes new initiatives to promote health and well-being in Costa Rica, a Latin American country which is economically poor by international standards, but which is known for its emphasis on health and human services. It draws on research to provide perspectives on health and ageing, discuss initiatives from neighbourhood to nation, and analyse prospects for the future. It emphasises health and ageing in Costa Rica, but identifies issues in terms of their wider significance.
The Meaning of Informal Care: Gender and the Contribution of Elderly People
Authors: Arber Sara , Ginn Jay
Published: November 2008

‘Caring’ and ‘carers’ are words in frequent use in social policy, but their meaning is often vague and undefined, encompassing a wide range of activities and relationships. This paper discusses the meaning of caring and focuses particular attention on older carers. Secondary analysis of the 1985 Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) Informal Carers Survey data shows that of the estimated six million informal carers in Britain, the largest contribution is made by women in their early 60s, and that elderly men are more likely than younger men to be carers. The bulk of informal caring work, in terms of total time spent, is provided by co-resident carers, most of whom are a spouse or parent of the dependant. However, the largest number of those receiving help live in separate households, and these are mainly parents or parents-in-law of their carers. The emphasis on elderly people as a ‘social burden’ neglects their contribution as providers of informal care. Over a third of informal care to people over 65 is provided by elderly people. Elderly men and women provide equal amounts of co-resident care, reflecting gender equality in the care of elderly spouses. But among younger people marked gender differences are apparent in co-resident care, and in the provision of informal care to elderly people living in separate households.
Self-Care in Relation to Informal and Formal Care
Authors: Penning Margaret J. , Chappell Neena L.
Published: November 2008

This paper examines the prevalence, inter-relationships and correlates of various forms of self, informal and formal care. Analyses of data drawn from a random sample of 743 non-institutionalised elderly individuals living in Winnipeg, Manitoba reveal similarities as well as differences among the three types of care. Self- and formal care are somewhat similar, being positively related and having similar correlates. Nevertheless, substitutability as a consequence of medical scepticism is also evident. Both are unrelated to informal care. It is poor health in the form of functional disability and the availability of support through the marital relationship which are the strongest correlates of informal care. In contrast, health (chronic conditions and perceived health status) as well as beliefs in the efficacy of both preventative health behaviours and medical services are among the strongest correlates of self- and formal care.
Forum: Leisure and the Structure of our Life Worlds
Authors: Hendricks Jon , Cutler Stephen J.
Published: November 2008

Leisure research among the elderly has not kept pace with its significance in their lives. While the centrality of work is often discussed, a comparable role for leisure is seldom acknowledged. Through a blending of life-course and structural-level perspectives this paper discusses the need for conceptual innovation in leisure research. A broader perspective on the nature of leisure, its structure and the emerging need to address leisure as a form of consumption is advocated. Recognition of the identity-affirming nature of leisure and consumption will greatly enhance the focus of leisure research.
Who Theorises Age?
Authors: Gubrium Jaber F. , Wallace J. Brandon
Published: November 2008

The question ‘Who theorises age?’ is meant to draw attention to the everyday theorising about age and ageing engaged by ordinary men and women, which, it is argued, has striking parallels with the theoretical products of professional peers. Following a discussion of some phenomenological features of conventional theorising in the field of ageing, the process of ordinary theorising is illustrated from observational and narrative data gathered in a variety of human service institutions, home settings and small groups. Implications of the parallels for understanding the relation between ‘theory’ and ‘data’ are addressed and a programme suggested for linking ageing, gerontology, and the humanities.
Filial Obligations and Kin Support for Elderly People
Authors: Finch Janet , Mason Jennifer
Published: November 2008

This article explores the nature of obligation and responsibility within kin groups, focusing particularly upon how far these underscore the assistance which may be offered by children to their elderly parents. Both quantitative and qualitative data, drawn from a study of family obligations in the north-west of England, are discussed. The authors argue that relationships between parents and children are founded on a sense of obligation up to a point, but assent for this is not universal and such obligations are seen as having definite limits. To understand how obligations operate in practice, it is necessary to focus upon the way in which support for elderly parents is a matter for negotiation in families, and to examine the principles which are incorporated into such negotiations.
Infanticide and Geronticide
Authors: Post Stephen G.
Published: November 2008

This essay considers recent ethical literatures on the question of the direct killing of newborns and of the severely demented elderly. At various points, the arguments in these literatures are brought together for comparison and contrast. Finally, a constructive argument against infanticide and geronticide is developed.
What do we Mean by ‘Development’ in Old Age?
Authors: McCulloch Andrew William
Published: November 2008

It is currently the vogue to speak of development throughout life. It is here argued that epigenetic models of human development are unsuited to explaining psycho-social change in old age. An alternative model of the emergence of psycho-social change in old age is proposed. An indication is given of why such change should occur, and the argument is illustrated with two catastrophe models of change, one hypothetical, and another describing events in the life of the composer Sibelius. These models indicate how role loss and modernization could have a causal role in psycho-social change. It is then argued that under prevailing social conditions emergent change could take the form of an ‘inner journey’ in old age. It is concluded that it is time to re-assess the use of developmental models of change in old age.
Mutuality of Learning Between the Old and the Young: A Case Study in Israel
Authors: Cibulski Ora , Bergman Simon
Published: November 2008

An exploratory study examines the knowledge of old people, their past and present teaching-learning experiences with children, and their readiness to teach children in the future. The respondents to structured-interviews are 76 old people from three cultural groups in Israel: Europeans, Yemenite-Tunisians and Christian-Arabs. Old people have many kinds of knowledge: occupational skills; formal, general and religious knowledge; personal experience and traditions of the ethnic group. Old people who perceive of themselves as knowledgeable and competent, who have frequent contacts with school-age children (particularly their own grandchildren), who reside in communities that support the social norm of communication between the generations, have had positive experiences teaching children and are prepared to teach children in the future. Old people who teach children, integrate then- past experiences, enhance their self-esteem and provide alternative behavioural models to children.
Lifestyle and Ageing
Authors: Taylor Rex , Ford Graeme
Published: November 2008

This paper is concerned with the nature, usage and potential of the concept of lifestyle. It concentrates on usage in social gerontology and specifically on the way in which it has been used by three teams of American researchers. Its overall aim is to discover guidelines for establishing the lifestyle concept on a sounder methodological footing.

The paper begins with a discussion of diversity within the elderly population and it identifies the need for a systematic conceptual scheme for describing the social life of the individual. It examines the relationship between lifestyle and social class and concludes that they represent complementary rather than competing approaches. The paper goes on to explore three definitions of life-style - as structure, content and meaning - and compares and contrasts these three alternative approaches. The difference between ‘nominal’ and ‘real’ definitions is discussed and the paper ends with a summary account of the way in which the concept has been operationalized in a continuing British study.