Cultural Gerontology

The study aimed to investigate the benefits of Gestalt counselling techniques in assisting students in addressing peer relationship issues at a public university. Specifically, the study examined the use of the empty chair and body language Gestalt counselling techniques in assisting students with peer relationship challenges, employing a hermeneutic
phenomenological approach. An expert purposive sampling method was employed to select four counsellors and criterion purposive sampling for the sixteen students who had received counselling that utilised the empty chair and body language Gestalt techniques. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and retrospective record reviews and subsequently analysed thematically. The results revealed that the majority of clients reported positive progress and were able to overcome their relationship challenges, while some experienced difficulty in engaging with the techniques. Factors contributing to the benefits of the empty chair technique included counsellor proficiency, the client's ability to employ their imagination, and the client's readiness to participate in the technique. Instances where the technique was less successful often stemmed from clients feeling uncomfortable with the method. The empty chair counselling technique was most employed in cases involving rejection, unresolved relationship challenges, the need for emoting, as well as intra and interpersonal conflicts. More findings showed that body language counselling techniques played a crucial role in the interaction between counsellors and clients, influencing the effectiveness of the counselling process. Positive results indicated that both counsellors and clients benefitted from enhanced communication and gained additional insights beyond verbal expressions, leading to increased awareness. Despite this, some participants experienced challenges and discomfort when the counsellor pointed out their body language. The study recommends that counsellors utilizing the empty chair technique and body language receive
comprehensive training to enhance their benefits and ensure a comfortable experience for clients. Moreover, counsellors should incorporate culturally sensitive strategies when utilizing body language to enrich the counselling process

Frontiers is more than just an open-access publisher of scholarly articles: it is a pioneering approach to the world of academia, radically improving the way scholarly research is managed. The grand vision of Frontiers is a world where all people have an equal opportunity to seek, share and generate knowledge. Frontiers provides immediate and permanent online open access to all its publications, but this alone is not enough to realize our grand goals. The Frontiers Journal Series is a multi-tier and interdisciplinary set of open-access, online journals, promising a paradigm shift from the current review, selection and dissemination processes in academic publishing. All Frontiers journals are driven by researchers for researchers; therefore, they constitute a service to the scholarly community. At the same time, the Frontiers Journal Series operates on a revolutionary invention, the tiered publishing system, initially addressing specific communities of scholars, and gradually climbing up to broader public understanding, thus serving the interests of the lay society, too. Each Frontiers article is a landmark of the highest quality, thanks to genuinely collaborative interactions between authors and review editors, who include some of the world's best academicians. Research must be certified by peers before entering a stream of knowledge that may eventually reach the public -and shape society; therefore, Frontiers only applies the most rigorous and unbiased reviews. Frontiers revolutionizes research publishing by freely delivering the most outstanding research, evaluated with no bias from both the academic and social point of view. By applying the most advanced information technologies, Frontiers is catapulting scholarly publishing into a new generation. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers

To investigate the operation of an innovative community respite program tun by the Brotherhood of St Laurence: the Banksia 'host-home' program, which was designed to provide respite for up to six people with dementia in a care-worker's home. The program was funded by the Commonwealth Department o f Health and Aged Care as part o f a funding program for pilot respite care projects. Method: Interviews were conducted with program staff, carers and care-recipients (older people with dementia). Information from written records such as funding submissions was also used. Results: People using the program were those who experienced barriers utilising centre-based programs for older people for a range o f reasons including advanced dementia, hearing difficulties, difficulties in social interaction or confusion. Carers were very appreciative o f the service, and care-recipients appeared to enjoy the program immensely, citing caring staff, social contact and activities as things they appreciated most. Conclusions: The host-home program provided an accessible respite option for those unable to use centrebused services. I t enabled more individually tailored activities, greater socialisation and greater attention from staff than possible in centre-based services. The informal 'homely' feel o f the program and the fact that relatives obviously enjoyed participating may have made carers feel more comfortable in using a respite service. Since the model creates the potential for costshifting and because of difficulties in supervising staff in their own homes, guidelines and standards appropriate to host-home programs should be established to ensure quality o f care and to protect paid staff and service users.

There is no best practice. (No one asks a painter «Which is your best brush?» Knowing how to edit in AdobePremiere is not any better for making video essays than using iMovie or drawing on a piece of paper.) We use the tools at hand and use them in unplanned ways. Videographic practice is an affective, multi-sensory, and bodily experience. We use our bodies, our memories, our intuitions, our flaws. What does «essay» literally mean? («essayer»: to try, to try out, to test... [and to fail]) Restrictions are productive, they are arbitrary but never random (and meant to be overstepped). None of us know more than the others in the room, but we all know different things. Completeness is not the goal and intactness is not the start -we aim for multiplici-ty and inexhaustibility. Let's not make video essays in order to master anything. Seek process, not outcome! Let's not only use audiovisual sources to analyze, question, and problematize the material itself, but let's also use (misuse? abuse? re-use? appropriate?) them to think about/through/with our lives, cultures, societies at large. Let's stop talking about success and start talking about resonance. Embrace mistakes, accidents, glitches, and chance! Perfection is a disease. Be vulnerable and use your privileges accordingly. The manifesto came out of our own desires and anxieties, and out of multiple conversations we had with each other and our colleagues over the past few months. We noticed how central the term ‹vulnerability› became when we tried to assess the new directions in which video essay culture seems to develop. This includes an increasing trend towards ‹personal› inscriptions, modes, and narratives. The manifesto is an invitation to think through and build on our individual and collective vulnerabilities in videographic thought and practice. The following conversation adds further context and discussion to the points laid out above. I think it's impossible to talk about vulnerability without talking about the personalpersonal investments, motivations, stakes, experiences, identities, bodies, etc. Given how video essays increasingly seem to implicitly and explicitly involve personal modes and the makers' personal positions, I'm wondering whether we can speak of a ‹personal turn› in videographic culture. Evelyn: Evelyn: Certainly, but then the personal and the vulnerability that goes with it was always present. Maybe it was not highlighted though. Or it was something that we as scholars were trained to pretend to not employ. Instead we learned to speak from a position of expertise and established knowledge, one that is more guarded against possible attacks. Speaking for myself, I feel that with video essays I'm doing something for which I wasn't prepared and thus more exposed to criticism. My video essays forced me to rely on my own resources. So, it became inevitably personal. In reaction to this I increasingly have this urge to appear in my videos and thus in the films that I am working with.

Eating and drinking difficulties, such as loss of appetite and swallowing problems, are common in dementia, but little is known about the experiences of ethnic minority groups who are managing these difficulties at home. The purpose of our study was to explore the meaning of food, the impact of dementia on eating and drinking, and carers’ experiences of support. We undertook semi-structured interviews with 17 carers and people with dementia from ethnic minority backgrounds living in England, using thematic analysis to analyse the data. Food/drink had strong links to identity, culture and emotions. Providing culturally familiar foods, celebrating traditional festivals and supporting previous food-related roles promoted reminiscence, which encouraged the people living with dementia to eat and drink, as did social interactions, although these could lead to distress in those with more advanced dementia. Food choices were also influenced by carer strain, generational differences and the ...

In this editorial introduction, we set the stage for the Cultural Gerontology section of the handbook by interrogating the social and cultural experiences of older adults in Asia. In doing so, we place dominant Euro-American frameworks of gerontology under theoretical scrutiny, while highlighting the rich ethnographic narratives, cinematic interpretations, and textual analyses offered by the contributors. As such, the contributions in this section extend, disrupt, and challenge the existing critiques on enhanced longevity by paying attention to marginalized perceptions and local specificities of growing old in Asia. Overall, we contend this allows not only for a critical rethinking of everyday subjectivities but also explores the epistemological ambitions of "doing age" from the Global South. Overall, we believe the contributions in this section illuminate ways in which age interacts with shifting cultures of social class, transnational processes, politics, and gender regimes.

Perceber o idoso e o processo de envelhecimento é fundamental para derrubar estereótipos e preconceitos referentes à terceira idade. Efetivamente, os mitos e estereótipos gerontológicos estão ligados, muitas vezes, ao desconhecimento do processo de envelhecimento. O presente trabalho tem como principal objetivo estudar as atitudes sexuais e o idadismo na terceira idade. A amostra recolhida é constituída por 121 idosos (N=121), com idades compreendidas entre os 65 e os 97 anos (M=75.57; DP=8.10), todos residentes em Portugal Continental. A recolha dos dados foi conseguida através da aplicação de um questionário referente a caraterísticas sociodemográficas, bem como de duas escalas: Escala de Idadismo de Fraboni e Escala de Atitudes Sexuais. Os resultados encontrados evidenciam que a prática religiosa, a idade e o sexo exercem influência na forma como os idosos se posicionam face à sexualidade. A prática religiosa e a idade também parecem ter influência na perceção de idadismo postulada pelos idosos. Concluiu-se que a variável sexo parece não ter impacto significativo na perceção de idadismo, ao passo que as atitudes sexuais e o idadismo estão correlacionados positivamente. Com a realização deste trabalho verificou-se que as atitudes sexuais e o idadismo são influenciados por diferentes variáveis como sejam a prática religiosa, a idade e o sexo dos idosos.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) people make up a considerable proportion of those in need of formal dementia care. Yet sexuality and gender identity have received little attention in dementia care research. Using a discursive approach, this article explores how dementia care workers discuss and reflect on dementia, gender identity, sexuality and caring for LGBTQ people with dementia. The article is based on a focus group study with dementia care workers in Sweden, primarily nurses and nurse assistants. The findings point to pervasive heteronormativity in everyday care practice; non-normative sexualities and gender nonconformity were primarily deemed invisible but also sometimes questioned as "fabulations" or "fantasies". The invisibility of LGBTQ people was discursively framed as a result of generational belonging: people with dementia belonged to generations who were assumed to be closeted. Gender identity and sexuality were also framed as sensitive issues that were difficult to address with people with cognitive conditions. Dementia was understood as bringing out the true sexual or gendered self, but also as causing confusion and inauthentic expressions of gender and sexuality. In conclusion, existing discursive framings locate problems of heteronormativity outside of care practice and risk leading to inaction; more direct challenges to heteronormativity are needed in dementia care.

This article explores possibilities for the emergence of queer lives and queer subjectivities in dementia care, the meaning of being queer for people living in residential dementia care and how they relate to queer subjectivity. Our study, drawing on qualitative interviews with four people living in dementia care homes, show how being queer was associated with earlier phases of one's life course and youthful, sexually active bodies. The dementia care home was described as a depersonalized, desexualized and segregated spatial condition where queer subjectivities could not emerge. However, although participants rarely became recognizable and intelligible as queer in the care context their positionalities must be understood in more complex terms than visible/invisible. Instead people in dementia care sometimes engaged in queer opacity as a tactic to refuse visibility in a care context characterized by surveillance and lack of control and agency.

Este documento ofrece una exploración multidisciplinaria sobre el fenómeno del olvido en la vejez, diferenciando entre olvidos funcionales, síntomas de deterioro neurocognitivo y formas adaptativas de reorganización mnésica. A través de una articulación rigurosa entre psicología clínica, neurociencias cognitivas y gerontología social, se abordan los distintos tipos de olvidos (estructurales, emocionales, contextuales, intersubjetivos, traumáticos, entre otros) y sus implicancias en la vida cotidiana de las personas mayores. El texto propone una lectura no patologizante del olvido, alejándose del edadismo clínico y promoviendo estrategias de acompañamiento respetuosas, terapéuticas y humanizadas.

A lo largo de diez capítulos, se despliegan conceptos clave como plasticidad cerebral, funciones ejecutivas, memoria episódica, reserva cognitiva, y procesos de simbolización, en diálogo con recursos de estimulación cognitiva, intervenciones psicosociales y herramientas lúdicas desarrolladas por el equipo de Mnemos. Asimismo, se exponen errores comunes en la lectura familiar de los síntomas, se analiza el rol de las instituciones de cuidado y se presentan recursos gratuitos, productos profesionales y propuestas comunitarias para intervenir activamente en la mejora de la calidad de vida en la vejez.

Este trabajo se inscribe en el marco de la psicogerontología contemporánea, con una fuerte impronta clínica, ética y pedagógica, y está destinado a profesionales del ámbito de la salud mental, la neurología, la psicología social, la terapia ocupacional, el trabajo social, y toda persona interesada en comprender los procesos de memoria y olvido desde una mirada crítica y comprometida.

VIDEO-ESSAY. ‘Classif. & Me’ analyses the opening montage from The Big Short (Adam McKay, 2015) and is modelled on the analysis performed by Colleen Laird of Helter Skelter (Ninagawa Mika, 2012) in her virtuoso 2023 video essay ‘Eye-Camera-Ninagawa’. Riffing on Laird’s work allows Alan O’Leary to protest and playfully satirize certain scientific aspirations in videographic criticism.

Tamil television serials have the potential to elicit a wide variety of emotions in viewers. Emotional control and expression change as individuals age, and this change is interrelated in various ways. Positive or negative emotions, when put into practice by regulating the emotions associated with health, can result in an increase or decrease in lifespan during successful ageing. This study explores the relationship between emotional well-being and prosperous ageing in Tamil television serials among older adults. An exploratory method was adopted to understand the connection between Tamil television serials and emotional wellbeing for successful ageing in Tamil Nadu (a southern state of India). Fourteen older adults over 50 who watch Tamil television mega-serials from Tamil Nadu were recruited for in-depth interviews. Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis: emotional connection, life satisfaction, fortitude and ageism among older adults. The findings suggest that Tamil television serials provide emotional engagement, companionship and life satisfaction for older adults, contributing to successful ageing.

En los ultimos anos se han producido diferentes debates en la literatura acerca de la conceptualizacion del envejecimiento activo. El objetivo de esta tesis es desarrollar un modelo de envejecimiento activo centrado en el nivel individual, que incluya diferentes elementos de la vida de las personas susceptibles de ser modificados mediante programas de intervencion para la promocion del envejecimiento activo. En base a este modelo se construira una herramienta de medicion del concepto que permitira obtener una medida cuantitativa del nivel de envejecimiento de cada persona. Ademas, se examinara la contribucion del concepto a la satisfaccion vital asi como el efecto de los estilos de afrontamiento en el envejecimiento activo. Para ello, se entrevisto a una muestra representativa de 404 personas mayores de 60 anos gallegas residentes en la comunidad usando una entrevista estructurada guiada por un cuestionario ad hoc. Los resultados demostraron la validez del modelo propuesto de enveje...

La reflexión que sigue a continuación forma parte de la investigación en curso Metodologías contingentes. Contribuciones pedagógicas del arte contemporáneo mexicano a las epistemologías del Sur (2000–2020), que indaga las aportaciones de los artistas pedagogos José Miguel González Casanova (Ciudad de México, 1964) y Pablo Helguera (Ciudad de México, 1971), así como de artistas que han utilizado la pedagogía como medio en ciertos proyectos, en el caso de Mónica Mayer (Ciudad de México, 1954) y Fernando Palma (Ciudad de México, 1957). Este trabajo, explora la producción de estos cuatro artistas, especialmente con relación a sus aportaciones investigativas a la teoría del arte, la dimensión educativa del arte contemporáneo y las epistemologías desde el Sur, un capítulo del arte contemporáneo mexicano que queda aún pendiente de explorar y dimensionar en su justa medida.

Este glossário, associado à premissa de que “As pessoas mais velhas não são descartáveis”, é uma ferramenta educacional poderosa para desafiar preconceitos arraigados e promover uma cultura mais inclusiva e respeitosa em relação à idade. É preciso promover a inclusão etária, garantindo que as pessoas de todas as idades são incluídas e têm oportunidades iguais na sociedade.
Reconhecer que “As pessoas mais velhas não são descartáveis”, é um passo crucial para criar uma sociedade mais justa, inclusiva e compassiva, onde todas as pessoas são valorizadas e respeitadas independentemente da idade. É mais do que a garantia de direitos básicos, é uma luta pela dignidade e respeito das pessoas com mais idade na sociedade. (A Direção da Animar, 19 de abril de 2024)

Care' is a source of critical tension in current social theory, and the policy and practice implications of that tension are evidenced in its current prominence on the political agenda of developed welfare states. This article critically appraises current developments in the theory, policy and practice of care, drawing on interdisciplinary developments in political theory, sociology and social policy. Developing feminist and disability-rights theories, it explores a critical synthesis of conflicting normative and theoretical positions regarding the giving and receiving of care, and of the ethics and justice of care. It examines case studies of current comparative policy developments across a range of different welfare regimes, including the marketization/commodification and de/re-familiaization of care, exploring ideological and normative trends in the design of contemporary policies. It discusses the impact of theory and policy on the practice of care, looking particularly at the issue of long-term care for disabled and older adults. Finally, the authors argue for the development of a citizenship-based approach to care that decouples it from individualistic and paternalistic paradigms that disempower those who give and receive care.

This book provides new and original insight on the senior living housing needs in Poland. It focuses on housing needs of the 60-74 age group that are generally more mobile and not in need of services offered in care homes. The book not only shows that seniors prefer to live independently as long as possible, but also touches upon their primary conditions for this, such as properties near goods, services and social networks, in modern buildings that have common amenities that meet their needs as they age. The book also discusses the transformation of economic, social and cultural changes leading to the creation of a new housing options for younger seniors living in many cities in Poland. With the book concluding that there is need for more diverse housing choice for senior living than is currently available, it provides an interesting read for academics, professionals and local, regional and national social service agencies that work with seniors.

While social connectedness is heralded as a key enabler of positive health and social outcomes for older people, rarely have they themselves had the opportunity to express their views about the concept. Working with a diverse group of Pacific, Māori, Asian and New Zealand European older adults, this paper explores what matters to older people when discussing social connectedness? We draw from individual, in-depth interviews with 44 older adults, and three group interviews comprising 32 older adults. Data were analysed using thematic and narrative analyses. The three themes identified were: getting out of the house, ability to connect and feelings of burden. Fundamental to social connectedness was participants’ desire to be recognised as resourceful agents able to foster relationships on the basis of mutual respect. Social connectedness was conceptualised as multi-levelled: relating to interpersonal relationships as much as neighbourhoods and wider society. Alongside these similariti...

Objectives: Social isolation and loneliness among older people are known to have negative effects on health and wellbeing. Few studies, however, have enabled older people to define these concepts in their own terms. This paper based on research in Aotearoa, New Zealand is the first to comparatively outline the meanings of loneliness and social isolation from the perspective of four ethnically diverse groups of older adults (M aori, Pacific, Asian, and NZ European). Method: We interviewed 44 older people and conducted three focus groups with 32 older people. We used thematic and narrative analyses. Results: Loneliness and social isolation were conceptualized as interconnected concepts described as a 'look and feel', a 'state of mind' and as a 'lack of desired companionship'. Participants conveyed sophisticated understandings of the structural underpinnings of both loneliness and social isolation as multi-dimensional, complex, and situated. Conclusions: Older people describe complex and culturally-nuanced understanding and experience of social isolation and loneliness. More culturally appropriate services, greater mental-health support and more service provision on weekends and evenings are needed.

A key challenge in meeting the palliative care needs of people in advanced age is the multiple healthcare and social service agencies typically involved in their care. The 'patient navigator' model, originally developed in cancer care, is the professional solution most often recommended to address this challenge. However, little attention has been paid, or is known, about the role that family carers play in enabling their dying relatives to negotiate service gaps. To explore the role family caregivers play in helping people dying in advanced old age navigate health services at the end of life. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and analysed via thematic analysis. A total of 58 interviews were conducted in New Zealand with the family caregivers of 52 deceased older relatives who had been participants in Life and Living in Advanced Age: a Cohort Study in New Zealand. Fragmentation of services was the key concern, causing distress both for the older person and t...

n Canada, the number of people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is projected to more than double to 1,125,184 over the next 30 years. Little is known about the prevalence and incidence of dementia in Aboriginal communities in Canada but, as is the case for the Canadian population, dementia in Aboriginal people is expected to be an increasing challenge for federal, provincial and community health care systems. The current lack of information makes planning for, and responding to, this emerging health issue difficult for program and policy planners and for those who need to provide services to this population. Aboriginal people gathered to discuss dementia in their communities in 2007. They reported that they believe they are experiencing an increase in the rate of dementia and confirmed that they are concerned that a lack of reliable information and statistics is making it difficult to respond to this emerging health need through current programming and policy. Several factors may be contributing to an increase in dementia in Aboriginal communities, including changing perceptions of the illness, demographic transitions, impacts resulting from the social determinants of health, rates of risk factors, increased vulnerability, and co-morbidities. Some evidence suggests dementia was not a significant health issue for Aboriginal people in Canada in the past. While dementia (including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and other related dementias) may have been present in communities, the phenomenon was often experienced as a non-pathological course of aging. Recent studies suggest that Aboriginal under-standings of dementia are increasingly diverse and can range from naturalized to medicalized interpretations. Changing perceptions of the illness as a disease may have some impact on diagnosis. Demographic transitions may also be contributing to an increase in age-related dementias in First Nations. The number of First Nations people in Canada is on the rise and expected to increase 1.4 times between 2006 and 2031. Importantly, the number of First Nations people aged 60 and older is expected to increase in number by 3.4 times from 54,165 in 2006 to 184,334 in 2031. 7 The risk of dementia for First Nations may also be elevated due to higher rates of associated conditions, such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, 8 and higher smoking and obesity rates, all of which increase the risk of dementia. 9,10 First Nations populations also have an increased vulnerability to the social determi-

This paper discusses early findings from my ongoing research looking at people's engagement with communication technologies. The study observes a constructivist grounded theory approach, and was designed in such a way that would allow for capturing of Irish people's behaviour and attitude towards Information Communication Technologies (ICTs). Partial data gathered following in-depth semistructured interviews with 12 participants suggests that innovations not always improve people's social inclusion, as sometimes the communication skills and social interaction gaps are further enlarged due to unforeseen consequences. Furthermore, innovations are being perceived as destroying communities and act towards creating a dysfunctional society. Initial findings are based on data analysis of interviews conducted prior to participants' interaction with custom built automated enclosures, by means of using mobile phone devices

“An accented video way of thinking: Becoming videoessay” explores
the videoessay as a conceivably “accented” form. (I prefer
the spelling “videoessay” —a sort of accented choice, given that it
echoes the Spanish “videoensayo”— to better convey a sense of
seamless integration between video and essay.) In Thinking with an
Accent, Pooja Rangan et al. (2023) argue that the accent should be
understood not as a way of speaking but as a mode of thought.
Two decades earlier, in Accented Cinema, Hamid Naficy used the
term “accented” to describe a mode of film production that shapes
filmmakers’ “feelings as thought” into an alternative “accented
style” (2001, 26). Expanding on these ideas, I propose to consider
the position of the videoessay in relation to traditional (i.e. accentless)
scholarship, its imperfect mode of production, and the affective
engagement of the “cinephiliac” videoessayist with the media
object (Keathley 2000, Grant 2014, 2016). By foregrounding the accented
nature of the videoessay form, I suggest that the videoessay
represents not only a “video way of thinking”, as Spatz (2018) has
indicated, but an accented video way of thinking. In Deleuzian
terms, I propose that the videoessay, as an accented practice and
epistemology, uses the transforming force of “becoming” (devenir)
(1994a, 1994b) to redefine the boundaries and the discourses of the
supposedly “accentless” film and media scholarship, thus “deterritorializing”
it to make it accented. Through three different segments,
not meant to be watched in any specific order, I explore the
accented dimensions of the videoessay’s sound (the echo, the stutter,
the index of unbelonging, the simulacrum), surface (the haptic
shudder, the textural affect-driven style), and thought (the becoming
minoritarian, the shifting of the maker) toward a counter-hegemonic
onto-epistemology of videographic criticism.

This special issue of [in]Transition (11.3) emerges from a collaborative endeavor to explore the intersection between videographic criticism and aging studies, through interventions that denounce gendered configurations of ageism within audiovisual cultures, while advancing what I would define as a gerontophilic practice-based research that gives shape, form, and discourse to an “affirmative” conception of old age.

This article uses feminist scholarship to investigate 'the elderly mystique' -which contends that the potential of old age is masked by a set of false beliefs about ageing (i.e. ageism) which permeate social, economic and political life . The article presents a theoretical model which explores the extent to which institutionalised ageism shapes the trajectory of life after 60. i The hypothesis underpinning the model is simple: The challenge for ageing societies is not the average age of a given population but, rather, how age is used to structure economic, social and political life. An inter-disciplinary framework is used to examine how biological facts about ageing are used to segregate older from younger people, giving older people the status of "other"; economically through retirement, politically through assumptions about 'the grey vote' and socially through ageist stereotyping in the media and through denial and ridicule of the sexuality of older people. Each domain is informed by the achievements of feminist theory and research on sexism and how its successes and failures can inform critical investigations of ageism. The paper recognises the role of ageism in de-politicising the lived experience of ageing. The paper concludes that feminist scholarship, particularly work by feminists in their seventies, eighties and nineties has much to offer in terms of re-framing gerontology as an emancipatory project for current and future cohorts of older people.

Cinema, as a powerful medium of storytelling, not only reflects society but also plays a crucial role in shaping cultural norms and values. Over the years, the portrayal of gender and race in films has sparked significant debate, as these representations carry the potential to influence perceptions, reinforce stereotypes, or challenge the status quo. In contemporary cinema, this dynamic has gained even more prominence as filmmakers grapple with issues of inclusivity, diversity, and equity. The narratives and images we see on screen are not just entertainment; they reflect broader social realities and struggles, particularly concerning identity and power dynamics.

Digital Storytelling is a workshop-based process in which participants gain the skills and knowledge needed to tell a personal story using their own words and imagery. This article draws on a MERJ conversation held during the Media Summit 2014 in Prague to deconstruct Digital Storytelling as means to understand the methodology and the stories told using it. It explores three specific themes: Theme A: Process of production – finding the articulate and personal voice Theme B: Crafting the stories – creating meaning in a short form Theme C: Impact – understanding stories as texts and collections Prior to the session, delegates had the opportunity to consider literature covering an overview of digital storytelling practice, and extracts from key academic and practitioner-based texts which address the three themes. Selected stories were shown at the start of the session. The article uses the resultant discussions as a means to explore the specific media literacy of digital storytelling. ...

The understanding that age and generational differences are not
simply biologically given, but are social distinctions like gender or
class we are all together „doing“, is still only gradually gaining acceptance.
In an explorative study I investigated practices of Doing
and Undoing Generations in projects of Intergenerational Cultural
Learning (cf. Haller 2022) These cultural projects received funding
from the Centre for Creative Ageing and Inclusive Arts (kubia) in
North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany). The data for this empirical analysis
were collected from three group discussions with participants
and project leaders, observation protocols of group meetings and
performances, videos of the performances and websites of the projects
as well as project data sheets from the application for funding.

: Well-being is the result of the balance between the various dimensions of the functional capacity of the elderly, without necessarily meaning no problems in all dimensions. The results, through the application of the SPF-IL scale and the Mann-Whitney U test, showed the existence of statistically significant differences in comfort, selfe steem and in the global dimension alongside with differences on lifestyle and habits.

Keywords: Well-being; Elderly person; Mental health.

Geriatric age group is increasing and the world will see a more number of older persons than children in the near future due to a greater life expectancy at birth. With increasing population comes increasing challenges particularly health, which tends to deteriorate as people age. One of the important determinants of health status of a population is the health seeking behaviour. The study was undertaken to assess the common morbidities and Health seeking behaviour among the geriatric population in the selected villages under Lahowal Block of Dibrugarh district, Assam. A total of 370 elderly persons aged 60 years and above were included in the study using multistage sampling design. Statistical Analysis was done using proportions, Chi-square test. Out of 370 elderly (> 60) 55.4% were ‘young old’, 42.2% ‘old old’. 55.4% were literates. 47.3% had musculoskeletal problems. Hypertension was found in 35.2% of males and 37% of females. Respiratory problems were found in 43.2% of males a...

Introduction: As the ageing population is increasing, the burden of their health problems is on a rise.

Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study was con- ducted among elderly population aged 60 years and above resid- ing in the rural field practice area of A.J. Institute of Medical Sci- ences & Research Centre in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka, India.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 66.9±6.3years. Out of 375 elderly participants, females were 57.9%. In the study population only 3.7% elderly were not suffering from any form of morbidity. Majority (25.3%) of them were suffering from 3 morbidities and 12.5% had 5 and more morbidities. Major morbidities of the study population were impaired vision followed by hyper- tension and joint problems. The proportion of arthritis, anaemia and obesity were significantly higher among females than among male participants.

Conclusion: The study among the elderly in Dakshina Kannada District, has highlighted a prevalence of visual complaints, hyper- tension and joint problems in the population. As the study shows that there is a higher prevalence of multimorbidity among the rural population, geriatric health care should be given due emphasis in health care services.

Impact Storytelling: the Ecosystem, the Evidence and Possible Futures is a ‘go-to’ report for storytellers, artivists, students, scholars and impact practitioners interested in impact storytelling (often referred to as "storytelling for social change").

This first study from UAL's AKO Storytelling Institute has been designed to help answer questions such as: what is 'impact storytelling'? What evidence is there that impact storytelling works? What is the history and current landscape of impact storytelling, in the UK and internationally?

It maps the structure of the impact storytelling ecosystem, identifies its key players, listens to current live debates and questions how to better collaborate in an emerging space that is still fairly siloed. By bringing to the foreground some of the ecosystem's gaps and blind spots, it hopes to open a space for reflection and debate. The intention is to serve as a base towards cross-industry collaboration and cross-disciplinary consolidation.

Suggested Harvard citation: Mirzoyants, A., Eagle, R. and Sewell, H. (2024) Impact Storytelling: the Ecosystem, the Evidence and Possible Futures. London: AKO Storytelling Institute, UAL.

Con il racconto Der Hagestolz (Un uomo solo, 1845), Adalbert Stifter riflette sul ruolo della vecchiaia nel rapporto tra generazioni: da una parte, l’esistenza pacata dei personaggi anziani nasconde i rimpianti per le occasioni perdute, dall’altra, paure e sregolatezze dell’immaturità rischiano di condannare i più giovani a smarrirsi inesorabilmente negli stessi errori di chi li ha preceduti. L’incontro e lo scambio tra il malinconico e burbero scapolo che vive la sua vecchiaia confinato su un’isola e il nipote ribelle promuovono, dunque, la necessità di un dialogo salutare per l’intera società, chiamata a riconciliarsi con la storia e a conoscere il passato per non rimanere intrappolati nei suoi fallimenti. La struttura stessa dell’opera aiuta a ricomporre questa relazione, a partire da cadute e rotture fino alla soluzione pedagogica suggerita dall’autore. Seguendo la caratteristica concezione stifteriana, che vede nel microcosmo lo specchio di fenomeni più estesi, questo studio vuole considerare non solo fatti e personaggi menzionati nel racconto, ma proporre una contestualizzazione più ampia del messaggio di Stifter alla luce delle dinamiche storiche che attraversarono la periferia asburgica.

Proposte di lettura critica delle narrazioni di invecchiamento La crescita delle donne come soggetti storici e l'esplosione demografica della popolazione anziana femminile hanno trasformato profondamente i corsi di vita delle donne nelle società occidentali. L'apertura di nuovi "immaginari di età" ha stimolato l'interesse narrativo per il tempo femminile, producendo nuovi orientamenti nelle rappresentazioni dei passaggi della vita, delle età, e in particolare della vecchiaia. Più consapevoli della soggettività delle donne anziane e del loro rapporto con le istituzioni sociali, molte scrittrici ci sanno offrire oggi letture più mobili e articolate dei percorsi esistenziali femminili e dei rapporti intergenerazionali. Lo studio dei racconti di donne ci rivela inoltre che la coscienza delle identità di età nelle loro intersezioni e mutazioni influisce sulle scelte di generi letterari e strategie narrative. Queste pagine, che riconducono a un percorso di ricerca di recente conclusosi, 1 si propongono di sollecitare la riflessione sulle narrazioni femminili del trascorrere del tempo e sulla presa di coscienza 2 dei costrutti di età che pervadono il nostro immaginario culturale.

This article proposes an 'equivalence scale for time' by which information about total working time in both paid and unpaid labour can be derived just from information about paid working time and household structure. Different scales are offered for males and females, and an adjustment according to year is also provided. These proposal is based on highly significant and robust OLS analyses of time-use surveys involving 99,137 respondents from 28 surveys in 13 western countries.

There is a growing body of interdisciplinary literature on the representation and construction of ageing masculinities; however, there is a lack of specific analysis of older men's responses to cultural images of ageing. It is important to examine how cultural meanings around ageing may inform older men's lived experiences, an underexplored aspect of gender and social relations. This article does so and contributes to social gerontology and masculinity studies. It draws on focus group discussions and follow-up interviews or reflective diaries with seven men aged 65–73 years, varying in terms of relationship status and sexual orientation. The research forms part of an international study. It discusses the initial thematic findings, interpreted with reference to literature on ageing in culture and society, and hegemonic masculinities. The analysis identifies five primary themes: underrepresentation and stereotyping in media; diminishment of family role; transition from work to...

The increase in ageing populations has spurred predictions on the growth of a politically powerful old-age bloc. While their protest mobilizations have risen to reach youth standards, there is scarce scholarly evidence of the role of multiple identities in older activists’ involvement. We address
this gap by interviewing activists in Iaioflautas, an older adults’ social movement emerging from the heat of the protest cycles in Spain in 2011. In-depth interviews with 15 members of varying levels of involvement revealed the paramount role of the movement in the identity construction of its participants. Iaioflautas endows a strong sense of collective identity based on intergenerational solidarity and enables to counter the culturally devalued identity of older adults and retirees. Whereas perceptions of widespread ageist stereotypes against older adults abound in this group, they omit to view the movement through an old-age identity politics lens. Furthermore, they reproduce ageist attitudes against age peers refraining from active involvement. This paradox suggests that the non-politicization of ageism restrains the development of a collective identity based on old age. We highlight how an increase in ageing populations might advance this issue in future research.

Kulturelle Bildungsangebote für ältere Menschen können Impulse zu transformatorischen Bildungsprozessen geben. Sie können aber auch Resonanzräume für Menschen bilden, die biografische Übergange im Alter erleben. Resonanzräume, in denen das leibliche Erleben des Alter(n)s, die Ambivalenzen des Alter(n)s und die Emotionen angesichts von Veränderungsanforderungen, die das Alter mit sich bringen kann, einen ästhetischen Ausdruck finden können. Ziel ist es, sowohl die aktuelle Debatte über Transformation und Kulturelle Bildung um kulturgeragogische Perspektiven zu erweitern als auch den Theoriehorizont der Kulturgeragogik und Geragogik für die Theorie transformatorischer Bildung zu öffnen.

La primera ola de personas LGBTIQ+ que se politizó y visibilizó ya ha envejecido. Sin embargo, pese a los logros en materia de derechos, de visibilidad y de política, las vejeces LGBTIQ+ han quedado relegadas al margen de los discursos activistas, militantes y las representaciones socioculturales mediatizadas de este sector poblacional. Por ello, en este artículo trazo las rutas para dilucidar las estrategias que emplean 3 hombres homosexuales para hacer frente a la violencia y la discriminación por motivos de su edad y de su orientación sexual. Parto de la premisa que la reclusión de las vejeces en el hogar, ha convertido a la casa en un pequeño territorio para los gerontes homosexuales, desde donde confrontan las violencias heteropatriarcales y edadistas.

Qualidade de vida do idoso e a existência de netos: estudo comparativo no distrito de Lisboa Quality of life in the elderly and the existence of grandchildren: a comparative study in the Lisbon district Calidad de vida en las personas mayores y la existencia de los nietos: un estudio comparativo en el distrito de Lisboa Inês Fernandes Eduardo Duque RESUMO: "Ser avô" é um acontecimento marcante, apesar de ser cada vez mais raro. Os netos são uma fonte de estimulação para os avós, contribuindo para a luta contra o declínio do envelhecimento e proporcionando-lhes uma melhor qualidade de vida. Os resultados evidenciam que as relações sociais são importantes para o idoso poder usufruir de qualidade de vida, mas será que os netos fazem a diferença quando falamos da qualidade de vida dos avós? Palavras-chave: Qualidade de vida; Avós; Netos; Idosos. ABSTRACT: "Be grandparent" It is a remarkable event, even though it is less common in these days. The grandchildren are a source of stimulation to the seniors, contributing against the aging and providing them a better quality of life. The results show that social relations are important for the elderly can enjoy quality of life, but will the grandchildren make the difference when we refer to life quality of the grandparents?