Gerontology Commons^™

The Role Of Leisure In Older Adults Moving Homes, Kristin Prentice

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Moving homes is a common experience for older adults in later life. Concomitant with moving is the transition process of adapting to the new home and developing a sense of place. When older adults change residences they experience disruption in place and risk losing identities. Leisure engagement has been known to help older adults adapt to new transitions in their life, such as death of a spouse, health decline and retirement. Leisure engagement has been linked to the development of sense of home and maintaining identity when moving to residential care settings and congregate living, however, these processes are not …

Digital Media Use And Social Inclusion: A Case Study Of East York Older Adults, Anabel Quan-Haase, Molly-Gloria Harper, Alice Hwang

FIMS Publications

Digital media is essential to sustaining communication with various types of social ties. However, older adults (aged 65+) are reported to be the least likely to use digital media. While statistics show that older adults are increasingly using more digital media, evidence shows this is predominately aging long-term users of digital media rather than older adults adopting new digital media. To investigate this “grey divide” and adoption of digital media by older adults, this study qualitatively analyses semi-structured interviews of 41 individuals aged 65 and older from the East York region of Toronto, Canada. Our findings suggest that satisfaction with …

Social Isolation: Do Helpers Help Ward It Off?, Kirsten Young Brown

MA Research Paper

Social isolation is particularly relevant among elderly individuals who are more likely to need care and help with their physical and living needs. Little is known about whether receiving help correlates with social isolation in older adults living at home as often there is no focus from caregivers and helpers on older adults' social needs. Using data from the 2018 US National Health and Aging Trends Study, a sample of adults aged 65 plus on Medicare/Medicaid (N=4,321), I examine the relationship between social isolation and help. I estimate ordinary least squares regression models to test the association between receiving help …

Older Adults And Information And Communication Technologies In The Global North, Molly-Gloria R. Harper, Barry Wellman, Anabel Quan-Haase

FIMS Publications

At all ages, people are incorporating information and communication technologies (ICTs) into their lives. It is not that they have stopped talking with each other in-person, it is that ICTs complement their interactions when they cannot be together face-to-face. Since the 1990s, email has provided a routine way to stay in touch and sustain meaningful contact over distance. But not all age groups have adopted ICTs with the same enthusiasm. Research in the Global North has consistently reported that age plays an important role in ICT adoption and use (Anderson and Perrin 2017). For example, older adults have been the …

Retirement Residence Living: Stories Of Older Adult Residents, Alexandra Jackson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Social isolation and loneliness have a negative effect on the lives of older adults. Participation in regular physical activity may facilitate social connectedness to mitigate feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Current understanding of regular physical activity for social connection and health benefits in older adult residents of retirement communities is limited. This study aimed to address, ‘What are the stories of social connectedness of physically active older adults living in a retirement residence?’. Using a narrative methodology, and incorporating an occupational mapping tool, residents of a retirement community storied their experiences of regular physical activity. Thematic analysis revealed themes …

Informing Care: Mapping The Social Organization Of Families’ Information Work In An Aging In Place Climate, Nicole K. Dalmer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Within an institutional ethnography method of inquiry, this dissertation makes visible the information work that permeates the care work of families of people living with dementia who are also aging at home. An institutional ethnography privileges people’s everyday work and acknowledges that local contexts are influenced by translocal, ruling relations. To map out the social organization of family caregivers’ information work, this dissertation details four separate, yet interrelated studies. The first study comprises two sets of interviews: one with 13 family caregivers of older adults to understand their experiences of the information work they do and a second with five …

"We Were Meant To Go Down One Road, But Now We Have Rerouted": A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Experience Of Aging Out-Of-Place, Sachindri Wijekoon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In an age of globalization, the experience of aging in a foreign land is part of the late-life experience of many older adults. However, studies of aging and migration have largely failed to conceptualize the unique resettlement experiences of immigrants entering North America as older adults. This dissertation asked, “What is the experience of aging out-of-place?” Specifically, this research question aimed to understand how late-life immigrants relate to, and connect and engage with places through aging processes, and the essentiality of daily occupations within such engagement. An interpretive paradigm and a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology guided this inquiry. The hermeneutic phenomenological …

Personal Constructs In Dementia Caregiving: The Family Caregiving Experience Of People Living With Dementia In Saudi Arabia, Eradah O. Hamad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As observed globally, family (informal and in-home) caregiving of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia has become a critical issue in the Arab region, including Saudi Arabia. This doctoral research psychometrically and conceptually evaluates an Arabic version of the Montgomery Borgatta Caregiver Burden Scale for use as a measurement tool to assess family caregivers of older adults living at home with dementia in Saudi Arabia. Currently, there is no published literature that addresses family caregiving for individuals with dementia in Saudi Arabia. Through further examination of family caregiving narratives, this research maps the personal and social …

Enriching Or Discouraging? Competing Pictures Of Aging And Paid Work In Later Life, Rebecca Casey, Ellie Berger

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

The picture and experience of work and retirement are continuously changing in Canada and will likely continue to change into the future with the aging of the population. There are two pictures of work in older age presented in the literature: a positive and enriching picture and a picture that highlights the challenges facing some older workers. The positive and enriching picture focuses on the experiences of older individuals who are able to continue working if they want to work and are able to work; those who continue working because they are motivated by work rather than pay or new …

Policy Brief No. 24 - Are Female Baby Boomers Ready For Retirement?, Lori Curtis, Kate Rybczynski

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Due to their life-course socio-economic conditions, many female boomers may suffer large decreases in well-being as they head into retirement. Pension reforms which increase retirement age will disproportionately disadvantage those already in low income. While changes to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) will reduce losses from poor or sporadic labour force participation, these changes are too late to help the early boomer women. Likewise, while research suggests that improving retirement outcomes must begin with improved labour market conditions, inequitable conditions persist. Therefore, any current policy change will miss helping the early boomers. Finally, with increasing rates of chronic disease and …

Policy Brief No. 23 - Health Inequalities Among Older Adults: Reconciling Theories And Policy Approaches, Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Andrea Willson, Sandra Reiter-Campeau

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Despite universal access to healthcare, there are disparities in older people’s health status in developed countries. These inequalities are rooted in lifelong differences in social and economic status. Government policies to assist older people may end up reinforcing these inequalities if they fail to create a buffer against their effects. However, best case practices and WHO guidance show that policies can also mitigate against the effects of lifelong disadvantage in older age. There is opportunity to design initiatives for older people in Canada that lessen the disparities in health outcomes that we currently see.

Policy Brief No. 21 - An Increasing Age At Retirement May Amplify Socioeconomic Inequalities, Yves Carrière, Jacques Légaré, Mélanie Léger St-Cyr, Chloé Ronteix, Viorela Diaconu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Population ageing raises questions about the sustainability of the public pillars of the retirement income system and about inter-generational equity. In response to this, a number of countries have raised the normal retirement age in an attempt to reduce projected future expenditures on their state pension system. In this context, private savings and later retirement represent the best ways of avoiding a major fall in living standards when retiring. Increased life expectancy at age 65 appears to justify this policy trend. But there are substantial differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between people of different socioeconomic status, and …

Policy Brief No. 20 - The Oldest Old: A New Reality In Canada's Population, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie, Kim Deslandes, Yves Carrière

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Canadians aged 85 and over (the oldest old) form a distinct group which is destined to grow as a proportion of the country’s population. This is a demographic reality which needs to be taken into account in policy making.

Dossier De Politique No. 21 - Une Hausse De L’Âge De La Retraite Risque De Creuser Les Inégalités Socioéconomiques, Yves Carrière, Jacques Légaré, Mélanie Léger St-Cyr, Chloé Ronteix, Viorela Diaconu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Le vieillissement démographique a pour effet de remettre en question la viabilité des régimes publics de retraite et l’équité intergénérationnelle. Plusieurs pays ont donc relevé l’âge normal de la retraite pour réduire les dépenses prévues de leur régime public de retraite dans le futur. L’épargne privée et le report de la retraite représentent alors la meilleure alternative pour éviter une baisse de niveau de vie importante à la retraite. Les gains en espérance de vie à 65 ans semblent justifier cette politique. Mais les écarts d’espérance de vie et de santé selon le statut socioéconomique sont substantiels et semblent vouloir …

Dossier De Politique No. 20 - Les Canadiens Très Âgés Forment Une Nouvelle Réalité Démographie, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie, Kim Deslandes, Yves Carrière

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Les Canadiens très âgés (« Oldest Olds ») forment une population distincte, appelée à prendre une place grandissante au pays. Il faut considérer cette réalité démographique dans l’élaboration des politiques publiques.

Dossier De Recherche No. 22 - De Nouvelles Pistes Sur Le Vieillissement Démographique Et Les Coûts Des Soins De Santé Au Québec, Michaël Boissonneault, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Cette recherche s'intéresse aux déterminants individuels associés à la variation des coûts publics des soins de santé, chez les Québécois de 65 ans et plus, vivant en ménage privé, avec incapacités. À l'aide de données administratives, la variation des coûts pour la consultation de professionnels de la santé et la consommation de produits pharmaceutiques a été analysée en fonction du nombre d’incapacités ainsi que de la nature de celles-ci. Les résultats montrent que des coûts plus élevés sont associés à un nombre plus élevé d'incapacités ainsi qu'à certains types particuliers d'incapacité, soient celles liées à l’agilité, la mobilité et, plus …

Policy Brief No. 19 - Caregiver Assessment: An Essential Component Of Continuing Care Policy, Janice Keefe, Nancy Guberman, Pamela Fancey, Lucy Barylak

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Family and friend caregivers are the backbone of Canada’s health and social care systems. The support they provide is indispensable in enabling individuals with long-term health issues to remain in their communities. Caregivers take on a challenging role—one that can impact their physical and mental health, social activities, personal finances, employment and relationships (Health Council of Canada, 2012; Keefe, 2011). Caregivers’ health and wellbeing has repercussions for the care recipient, their family, their communities and the health care system. To support this critical role, caregivers need to be understood as partners in care, but also as potential individual clients of …

Research Brief No. 17 - Rethinking Retirement, David K. Foot, Rosemary A. Venne

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Current pension policies in Canada do not take into account rising life expectancy. A Canadian worker in 1950 who retired at age 65 could expect to live 4 years in retirement. In 2006, a Canadian retiring at age 65 can now expect to have 16 years in retirement. Older workers can be a valuable resource with their years of experience that can be used to train younger replacement workers through the use of partial retirement schemes. Since many older workers would prefer to keep working after age 65, employers would benefit by offering flexible retirement schemes, such as a reduced …

Dossier De Recherche No. 14 - Trajectoires Familiales Et Réseau De Soutien Des Canadiens Âgés De Demain, France-Pascale Ménard, Céline Le Bourdais

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Depuis quelques décennies, les comportements touchant la vie en couple et la parenta-lité ont considérablement changé, bouleversant par la même occasion les réseaux fami-liaux des Canadiens. Ces changements auront indéniablement des répercussions sur l’apport d’aide aux personnes âgées dans l’avenir. Dans cette optique, on observe comment les étapes marquant la vie conjugale et la parentalité ont évolué chez les personnes étant nées entre 1923 et 1972. On compare ainsi les personnes âgées d’aujourd-’hui à celles de demain, ces dernières correspondant aux baby-boomers. Les résultats montrent que les comportements de ces derniers se sont diversifiés et complexifiés face à ceux de …

Research Brief No. 3 - Disability And Support Networks Of Older Canadians, Janice Keefe, Samuel Vézina, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie, Guillaume Lefrançois

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

The percentage of older Canadians requiring assistance with health-related tasks due to a long-term health condition increases sharply with age (Chen & Wilkins, 1998). As the first of the Boomers reach age 65 in 2011, it is of great interest to identify trends in disability and support network usage, to better predict future needs and resources within community care. This project used data from five national datasets to investigate the global disability rate and examine socio-demographic characteristics associated with disability and the use of informal and formal support networks to assist older adults with a health problem in performing everyday …

Inégalités En Santé Chez Les Adultes Plus Vieux Dans Les Pays Développés: Réconcilier Théories Et Approches Politiques, Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Andrea Willson, Sandra Reiter-Campeau

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

Les politiques dont le but est de soutenir les personnes âgées creusent peut-être les inégalités. Des régimes de pensions de plus en plus privatisées et un manque de services de soutien subventionnés profitent de façon disproportionnée à ceux qui ont les moyens sociaux et économiques les plus forts à l’âge avancé. Les gens favorisés sont en meilleure santé que ceux qui sont désavantagés. Le Canada a l’occasion d’éviter un impact si biaisé des programmes pour les aînés, en puisant dans les approches créées par l’Organisation mondiale de la santé, des exemples internationaux et dans la théorie et la recherche sociologique. …

Canada's Oldest Old: A Population Group Which Is Fast Growing, Poorly Apprehended And At Risk From Lack Of Appropriate Services, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie, Kim Deslandes, Yves Carrière

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

The future of population aging in industrialised countries, including Canada, will be driven not by lower fertility but by extensions in life expectancy. Declining mortality will have the most effect on the oldest age groups.

In this context, Peter Laslett’s (1989) ideas on rethinking traditional approaches to the life cycle are fundamental. He argues that we need to move from three stages of life to four: childhood; adulthood; then the new third age lasting from retirement until old age, which becomes the fourth age (or the oldest-old).

This report examines the present and future characteristics of the oldest old, and …

Vivre Et Travailler Plus Longtemps Dans Une Société Vieillissante: Vers Une Croissance Des Inégalités?, Yves Carrière, Jacques Légaré, Mélanie Léger St-Cyr, Chloé Ronteix, Viorela Diaconu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

L’accélération du processus de vieillissement de la population canadienne se poursuit alors que les cohortes du baby-boom franchissent tour à tour l’âge de 65 ans. Plus nombreuses à franchir cet âge, elles y survivront aussi plus longtemps. Au nom de l’équité intergénérationnelle, plusieurs pays répondent à ce bilan démographique en réformant leur système de revenu de retraite pour favoriser le report de l’âge effectif de la retraite. Au Canada, sans que l’on ait adopté de telles réformes, on observe ce report depuis déjà une vingtaine d’années. Aussi souhaitable que soit le prolongement de la durée de vie en emploi, il …

Health Inequalities Among Older Adults In Developed Countries: Reconciling Theories And Policy Approaches, Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Andrea Willson, Sandra Reiter-Campeau

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

Policies that are meant to support older people in Canada might worsen inequalities. Increasingly privatized pension schemes and lack of subsidized support services disproportionately reward those with the most social and economic means in old age. Those who benefit generally experience better health than those who are disadvantaged. Canada has opportunity to guard against such a skewed impact of programs for the elderly by drawing on approaches developed by the World Health Organization, international examples, and sociological theory and research. These approaches can to help design policies that transcend existing inequalities in older people, fostering more equitable health outcomes.

Les Oldest-Olds Canadiens : Une Population En Pleine Croissance, Mal Connue Et À Risque De Manquer De Services Adéquats, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie, Kim Deslandes, Yves Carrière

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

Dans les pays industrialisés, et au Canada en particulier, le vieillissement ne sera plus dynamisé par la baisse de la fécondité, mais bien par l’allongement de la vie. Cette baisse de la mortalité sera surtout aux grands âges.

Dans ce contexte, les réflexions de Peter Laslett (1989) et sa remise en question de l’approche traditionnelle du cycle de vie sont fondamentales. De trois étapes, il a montré le bien fondé de passer à quatre : l’enfance, les âges adultes, le nouveau troisième âge, qui va de la retraite à la vieillesse, qui devient le quatrième âge.

Ce rapport s’intéresse aux …

Are Female Baby Boomers Ready For Retirement?, Lori Curtis, Kate Rybczynski

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

Due to their life-course socio-economic conditions, many female boomers may suffer large decreases in well-being as they head into retirement. Pension reforms which increase retirement age will disproportionately disadvantage those already in low income. While changes to the CPP will reduce losses from poor or sporadic labour force participation, these changes are too late to help the early boomer women. Likewise, while research suggests that improving retirement outcomes must begin with improved labour market conditions, inequitable conditions persist. Therefore, any current policy change will miss helping the early boomers. Finally, with increasing rates of chronic disease and longer lifespans, policy …

A Review Of Research On Aging Families: Emerging Issues, Zheng Wu, Sean Browning

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

Against the background of the demographic shifts of population aging, increased immigration, and growing ethno‐cultural diversity in Canada, it is important that we gain a better understanding of the needs of aging families. To date, family gerontologists have begun producing research on aging families to better understand how their needs can be met. In order to assess the state of the literature on aging families, we conducted a literature search (2009‐ 2014) of eleven top, peer‐reviewed journals. This literature was then assessed, revealing five prevalent themes: (1) structural diversity in aging families, (2) family relationships in later life, (3) caregiving …

Do Indigenous Australians Age Prematurely? The Implications Of Life Expectancy And Health Conditions Of Older Indigenous People For Health And Aged Care Policy, Philippa R. Cotter, John R. Condon, Tony Barnes, Ian P.S. Anderson, Leonard R. Smith, Teresa Cunningham

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

Objective. To assess whether Indigenous Australians age prematurely compared with other Australians, as implied by Australian Government aged care policy, which uses age 50 years and over for population-based planning for Indigenous people compared with 70 years for non-indigenous people.

Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of aged care assessment, hospital and health survey data comparing Indigenous and non-indigenous age-specific prevalence of health conditions. Analysis of life tables for Indigenous and non-indigenous populations comparing life expectancy at different ages.

Results. At age 63 for women and age 65 for men, Indigenous people had the same life expectancy as non-indigenous people at age 70. …

Research Brief No. 2 - Models Of Earning And Caring: Trends, Determinants And Implications, Roderic Beaujot, Zenaida Ravanera, Jianye Liu

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Families in Canada have undergone changes regarding the ways in which they earn a living and care for each other. Data taken from Statistics Canada time use surveys of 1986, 1992, 1998, and 2005 show changes in the average number of hours of paid and unpaid work completed by men and women.

Research Brief No. 1 - Social Inclusion Of The Oldest-Old: Toward Supportive Housing Policies, Judy Lynn Richards, Susan Sverdrup-Phillips, Jiangqin Du, Heather Maddocks, Heather Spiegel, Jennifer Brooks

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Research/Policy Brief

Although most seniors aged 85+ live relatively independently in the community, research on this age group tends to focus on the negative aspects of aging. This study looks instead at seniors aged 85 and older who are living well and semi-independently in their communities with the help of an informal care provider. The study aims to identify the mechanisms that allow them to live with dignity and autonomy in their own homes and remain socially included in their communities. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 16 individuals aged 85 to 94 years and their primary informal support-persons in Southwestern Ontario, …