Policy and Practice (Asynchronous - Online Only)
Featured How Do We Live Above the Poverty Threshold: Profiles of Fragile Older People in Rural China View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jia Xu
This article explores how far do “Targeted Poverty Alleviation Social Policy Programs”(TPAP) secure fragile older people from absolute poverty risk in rural China, and how do each field of targeted social policy interact with each other in contributing potential poverty risk in those people. We propose that TPAP secure absolute poverty risk in fragile older people at different level according to different kinds of needs, arguing that the system leave gaps open however to potential poverty risks in fragile older people in rural China. It introduces a multi-dimensional approach to measuring the generosity of TPAP’s social policy programs, investigates the impact of three fields of social policy programs from TPAP system in supporting poor fragile older people to live above absolute poverty threshold in rural China, and explores consequences of social policy programs for contributing potential poverty risk according to fragile older people’s different kinds of needs. The empirical study is based on comparisons of individual profile presentations to describe how far do targeted social policy programs make their impact on specific groups of people in sociological way. Profile data used are from “Rural China Poverty Alleviation Observation Project” (Poverty relief office of the state council, 2013/2019), policy data used are from document analysis of regulations of Targeted Poverty Alleviation Social Policy Programs in China. The findings support argument that generosity condition in different TPAP targeted social policy programs vary in their impact on preventing absolute poverty risk in fragile older people on the basis of different level of needs.
Towards Inclusive Age-friendly Cities and Communities?: Perspectives on Older People Leaving Prison
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Helen Codd
This original and ground-breaking interdisciplinary paper brings together perspectives from gerontology, penology, and social policy to explore critically the nature and consequences of the lack of visibility of ex-prisoners within global research, policy and practice on age-friendly cities and communities (AFCC), at a time when increasing numbers of people are ageing in prison settings in many countries. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose challenges for older peoples’ wellbeing, and also within prison settings, and thus it is timely to reflect on the links between older people, prisons and cities, at a time of ongoing change and uncertainty. Just as there is an extensive body of ongoing research exploring age-friendly cities and communities, there is extensive published research on older people’s experiences of imprisonment, and a growing body of research on the needs and experiences of older people leaving custody. However, these two research and policy fields have evolved largely independently and separately, leading to a lack of visibility of ex-prisoners within AFCC research and policy and, similarly, the omission of consideration of the needs of ex-prisoners within the broader context of age-friendly cities and communities. Existing checklists and tools for assessing and measuring the age-friendliness of cities and communities may be of limited relevance in this context. This study identifies the potential for integration and for cross-disciplinary research in this context, concluding with recommendations for developing inclusive research, policies and evaluation frameworks which recognise and include older people as they leave prison and engage with cities and communities.
Effects of Social Security Scheme on Food Security Status of Beneficiaries in Ekiti State, Nigeria View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Olanrewaju Tehinloju
The study investigated the effects of a social security scheme on the food security status of beneficiaries in Ekiti state. One hundred and twenty respondents were sampled through a multistage sampling procedure. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Mean age of respondents was 70 years and majority (61.7%) of males were married. Food security status of the households revealed about 7% of the beneficiaries and 5% non-beneficiaries were food secure. More non-beneficiary households (50%) were food insecure with moderate hunger than 46.7% of beneficiary households. Also, 10% and 18.3% of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries respectively were food insecure with sever hunger. Results further show that educational level (t=-2.81, p< 0.05), farm size (t=3.95, p <0.00) and household size (t=-8.42, p< 0.00) of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries were significantly different. Beneficiary households were thus better off with lesser food insecurity. The study concluded the social security scheme was effective in reducing food insecurity.
Keep Working, but Not With Us!: Double Message in the Swedish Pension Policy Compared with the Recruitment Practices Relating to Elderly in the Public Sector View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Lisbeth Segerlund
Sweden recently made major revisions of its retirement provisions when the Swedish Parliament in 2019 decided to raise the age for when a person can withdraw money from the public pension system and for the mandatory retirement age. As of 2020, Swedes can retire at the earliest from the age of 62, but have the right to continue working until they turn 68. In 2023, the minimum age will increase to 63 and the upper limit to 69. Positive communication from the Swedish government accompanies these revisions with references to that we now live longer, are healthier and more active, and that we therefore can and would like to keep working. At the same time, there are reports on discrimination against the elderly in recruitment processes. The study assumes that this discrimination is similar in the public and private sectors, but that the public sector should take the lead in this area. Through an analysis of the discourse involved in the two contrasting developments or double message in selected public authorities, the study aims at understanding the content of the tension found in the Swedish public sector policy versus practice in this issue-area.
“My Father Is Going to Die” – Tackling the Grief Taboo: Austria’s Family Hospice Care Leave and Other Ways of Politically Dealing with Imminent Loss View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Thomas Geldmacher, Daniela Musiol
In principle, Austria’s family hospice care leave, implemented in 2002, is great. If you want to spend three to six months with a dying close relative or a seriously ill child, all you have to do is tell your employer five days in advance, and you’ll receive around 55 % of your net income, your pension and health insurances are taken care of, and you cannot be immediately fired upon your return to work. And yet only around 1,000 people (predominantly women) make use of this option. Our research project has focused on the reasons for the surprisingly low uptake in Austria, and we have tried to identify best-practice examples regarding end-of-life care (particularly for family members) in other European and overseas countries. We haven’t been conducting this research for scientific reasons only. Since this project has been commissioned by a policy-orientated institution our goal is to propose a EU directive on the politics of grief.
Lessons Learned from the Formative Evaluation: A Case Study of the Care Prevention Program in Japan View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nattapat Sarobol
The objective of this research is to study the lessons learned from the formative evaluation of the Care Prevention Program in Japan. The sample included 8 staff members from two municipalities (Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefectures) in urban areas in Japan. All participants were representatives at the policy and practitioner level of the program. An interview with questions concerning program policy was used as a research instrument. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The study revealed that this program was implemented through five steps 1) conducting a survey 2) network mobilization 3) activity planning 4) promoting the program and 5) evaluation. The strength of the program was the variety of the activities in various dimensions: physical, psychological and social. Most of the activities were designed to match with the characteristics of the older adults to encourage them to be active. A weakness of the program was in a lack of public places to organize the activities, as well as the high cost of renting venues for activities. However, factors that make the program effective include selecting community appropriate venues, creating a mechanism for public civil society and providing an operation manual. In summary, it can be concluded that, apart from health activities, other activities within the multi-dimensional range could help improve the program. In addition, understanding the situation and the context of each community could strengthen the program and aid in selecting appropriate venues for organizing activities.
Realising Older Women's Right of Access to Social Security in South Africa View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Kitty Malherbe
The South African Constitution may be comparatively generous as it includes a justiciable right to have access to social security. Yet, the South African social security framework does not include a public retirement fund nor any mandatory retirement insurance. As a result, most older persons, and older women in particular, in South Africa rely on social assistance as a means of survival. This paper illustrates how the absence of a comprehensive social security system has rendered retirement an unknown concept to many older women in South Africa. It provides a critical analysis of the statutory framework for retirement income in order to identify the barriers working women face in saving for their retirement. It also highlights how statutory attempts to provide support to older women have been dismantled in the name of equality. This paper argues that a clear understanding of the state’s duty to provide older persons and particularly older women with access to social security, is crucial to shape a coherent legal framework for income security and support for older persons in South Africa.
Will You Be Seeing the Doctor? : A Cross-sectional Study Examining Determinants of Health Service Utilization among Filipino Older People View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Crystle Cotingting
This study considers factors affecting health service utilization among older Filipinos using Andersen's Behavioral Model. Two hundred thirty-seven (237) randomly selected older people from Marikina City, Philippines were surveyed face-to-face on factors affecting health utilization, specifically age, civil status, educational level, employment, sex, health insurance coverage, household income, chronic disease status and perceived health status. Seventy-nine percent had used health services in the past year with an average of 5.7 visits per year. Being female (OR: 2.2) and having a chronic disease (OR: 3.1) were significantly associated with health utilization. But, having health insurance did not impact health service use. This may be because health care costs in the Philippines are still primarily out-of-pocket. Services covered under the Philippine national health insurance scheme need to be expanded to increase healthcare use among older Filipinos. Furthermore, targeting men in health promotion campaigns and implementing population-based chronic disease programs can help improve the reach of health services among Filipino older people.
