Spirit, Mind, and Body
Possibilities of Active Ageing in the Fourth Age
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Marcela Petrova Kafkova
Active ageing in its original definition is closely connected with quality of life and its maintenance in spite of age and health limitations. In its real applications, the active ageing is more identified with the preservation of economic activity and enjoyment of leisure time. This perspective makes people in the fourth age, i.e. with various extent of disability, invisible. The othering is strengthened by the fact, that the emphasis on possibilities of the young old postponed all characteristics traditionally connected with old age into the fourth age. The definition of the fourth age in terms of decline and dependency has strengthened the distinction between “the active” and “the others”. Based on the repeated interviews with ten fourth agers and their carers and four weeks of ethnographic observation in the households of disabled older adults, the study focuses on the ways people in the fourth age fulfilled the active ageing. Health difficulties make typical ways of active ageing impossible, yet fourth agers are not only passive recipients of care. Active ageing in the fourth age can be seen in pro-active attitudes, the acceptance of incoming imitations, and the establishment of successful compensatory strategies. Despite changes in activities and the fact that most time is spent at home or nearby, a proportion of fourth agers preserve a strong degree of agency. The negotiating of agency in the context of heterogeneity of the fourth age is presented.
National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care : A study on the Current Spiritual Care Practise within the Australian Aged Care Sector
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Amy Heath
Spirituality has been studied as a critical part of health for many years, evident by many literature reviews in the past 10-15 years, showing that research into this area has increased significantly (Pesut et al 2014; Sinclair et al 2006). The World Health Organisation (WHO) included spiritual components of health assessment as a priority for health professionals working with those aged over 60 in their 2015 report on World Health on Ageing and Health (WHO, 2015). Much research ties definitions of spirituality to holistic and person-centred models of care (Drury & Hunter, 2016; Keall et al, 2013; Power 2006; Boston & Mount, 2001). All of these factors, as well as the rapidly ageing population trends evident worldwide, suggest that spirituality is not only gaining traction and understanding in health care systems, it also is a requirement of any individual facing the last stages of life. “The intent (of the guidelines and their development) was to identify existing spiritual care practices, as well as the barriers and enabling factors that influence spiritual care” (Pringle, 2016). This research utilises thematic analysis to understand the barriers and enablers to providing spiritual care as part of holistic care in aged care settings, and identify what role the National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care have added to this crucial domain of health care provision in an Australian setting.
Ageism, Liminality, and Social Identity Transitions: Linguistic and Discursive Insights from a Language and Communication Research Project
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Belia Schuurman
Our paper discusses the findings of a language and communication research project with urban Dutch older people who recently reached the retirement age. In semi-structured interviews, 48 older people were asked about their perspectives and experiences regarding language use and communication, as well as how they relate these perspectives and experiences to their ageing selves and others. The qualitative interview data provides unique linguistic and discursive insights into experiences of ageing and retirement, especially regarding (self)ageism and liminality in social identity transitions.
