Categories and Constructions
Couple Partnerships in Later Adulthood: Understanding the Role of Relationship Maintenance
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jill Chonody, Jacqui Gabb
Increased longevity means that many couples will be together for long periods of time. Yet, intimate relationships in later adulthood are understudied despite the positive association between relationships characterized by high quality and health and well-being. Research focused on age-specific strengths of older couples in enduring relationships is imperative. This cross sectional mixed methods study sought to redress this gap by investigating relationship maintenance in later adulthood. Our international (U.S., Australia, U.K.) sub-sample comprised 1,565 participants aged 55+ and in an ongoing relationship. Results from hierarchical multiple regression indicated that overall happiness with the relationship had the largest effect size on relationship maintenance, with 53% of the variance explained. In addition, a higher degree of relationship maintenance was explained by faith shaping the relationship, indicating that one’s partner is the most important person in her/his life, and being American. To gain a deeper understanding of behaviors used for relationship maintenance, two open-ended items were included. Content analyses of these identified companionship and laughter as some of the “best liked” aspects of the relationship. Housework/cooking and saying “I love you” were among the behaviors that made participants feel appreciated. Results indicated that small acts made them feel appreciated. This was also reflected in what participants liked best about their relationship. The mundanity of things identified was also notable in that everyday activities and small acts of kindness were designated far more often than grand symbolic gestures (Duck, 1988).
“I Am (an Older) Woman. Hear me roar!” : Age as the New American Exceptionalism
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Brenda Weber
Is it oxymoronic to be a professional, powerful woman over the age of 60? One would think not, yet according to a rash of US articles on women in the workplace in the last five years that speak of such women as rare specimens previously unknown, things are changing. The recent abundance of powerful older women – from actress Glenn Close at 71 to politician Nancy Pelosi at 78 – betokens an astounding turning of the tides in the US, where demographics have begun to undo the relentless symbolic suppression of older women. No longer is erasure and invisibility the fate of the post-menopausal woman, or so these accounts would lead us to believe. But at the same time as this new age of the older woman is being touted, actual women in their 60’s and 70’s are finding it increasingly difficult to find employment, much less reach levels of success and achievement. Looking at the life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the documentary The Notorious RBG (2018) and the feature film On the Basis of Sex (2019), this presentation will ask if the agentive older woman is the exception that proves the rule or the example that becomes the rule?
Quality of Life for the Elderly Living in Developing and Developed Countries
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alba Elizabeth Melgar, Gloria Velásquez
In order to determine the quality of life for the elderly in some countries, it is indispensable to establish the conceptual approach to quality of life we will be using as well as the parameters we will be applying to measure it in the three countries considered for our study. The purpose of this paper is to present a contrast on the quality of life enjoyed by older individuals in developed countries such as The United States and in developing countries as El Salvador and Mexico. Given that quality of life is intimately related to economical factors is difficult to use a concept of quality of life that do not requires money as its determinant factor, because this indicator cannot be applied equally to rich and poor countries alike. In our study we define quality of life as the general well-being of a person or society, defined in terms of health and happiness, rather than wealth. Although assessment tools are available to evaluate physical and social dimensions, the sense of well being is more difficult to evaluate but we will conduct interviews to older individuals in El Salvador to illustrate our study. Among the observations we address assessing “quality of life" in old people are: 1.multidimensional factors that involve everything from physical health, psychological state, level of independence, family, education, wealth, religious beliefs, a sense of optimism, local services, employment, housing and the environment. 2. cultural perspectives, values, personal expectations and goals.
Social and Cultural Perspectives on Aging: How Can Socio-cultural and Sustainable Living for Seniors in Italy Be Guaranteed?
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nadia Paone
Current demographic developments and changes in family structures make it necessary to seek new responses to the housing needs of seniors. In Germany, for example, various forms of active participation and self-help have emerged in recent decades. This means that the seniors of the third age, the active and healthy ones, are those who organise the support for the less self-sufficient seniors of the fourth age (Laslett, 1995). The purpose of the following research topic was to analyse the current status of the situation for older people in Merano (South Tyrol, Italy) and how they think housing models should be adapted to their needs. In order to answer the research question, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. People living in the city of Merano over 55 years of age were involved from November 2017 to January 2018. It emerged that, according to the respondents, the suitable home for the seniors should be in the centre of the city, where shops and doctors are located and the homes should be organised in small housing units. All participants highlighted the importance of volunteering, which complements existing services. My future doctoral research will deal with one of the housing models that is named cohousing. The purpose of the research is to analyse existing cohousing models in other countries such as Denmark, Sweden, and Germany. The research question is in this specific case: Is there a need for multi-generation houses in South Tyrol and what is the attitude towards such housing projects?
