Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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The socio-emotional experiences of older persons with visual impairments
- Authors:
- MEYER T., GREEN S.
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Maatskaplike Werk, 43(3), August 2007, pp.234-243.
Given the intense effect visual impairment has on the quality of life of older persons, there is an increased awareness in social work of the growing need and demand for support services for older persons who are visually impaired. The study explores the socio-emotional experiences of these persons from a life stage and ecological perspective. The investigation shows that visual impairment severely influences the daily functioning of older persons. The findings indicate the need for preventative services, assessment of the influence of visual impairment on the socio-emotional functioning of older persons, and social work interventions at individual, family and community levels.
Social capital, support networks and black elderly persons
- Author:
- HOWES F.
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Maatskaplike Werk, 43(2), June 2007, pp.177-190.
As social capital plays a pivotal role in the social welfare policy of the Western Cape, this article examines the nature of social capital and social networks. It explores the social networks of older Black people in one black residential area of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, to determine the state of social capital in that community. The findings indicate that bonding social capital and bridging social capital is present in the community , but linking social capital (ie that which reaches out to unlike people is dissimilar situations) is very low. It is recommended that this age cohort be used to enlarge social capital in that community.
'We are too busy being active and enjoying ourselves to feel the aches and pains': perceived health benefits of line dancing for older women
- Author:
- NADASEN Krishnavelli Kathleen
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 8(3), September 2007, pp.4-14.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
This one-year study sought to investigate whether a group of women between 60 and 80 years of age perceived line dancing to be beneficial to their health and well-being. Individual and group interviews were conducted with 30 women and these provided useful insights into the participants' subjective experiences with regard to line dancing and the impact it had on their health and well-being. The two broad assumptions that guided this study were a) that line dancing was perceived to be beneficial to the health and well-being of these older women and b) that these older women did not subscribe to the popular assumption that there is a general deterioration in mental capacity , psychological or physical endurance or creativity once one reaches the age of 60.
Older people as resources in South Africa: Mpumalanga households
- Authors:
- KIMUNA Sitawa R., MAKIWANE Monde
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Aging and Social Policy, 19(1), 2007, pp.97-114.
- Publisher:
- Routledge
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The extended family used to be relied upon to provide subsistence and care for older people in sub-Saharan Africa. However, recently South Africa has seen a reversal of roles, where older people now provide subsistence and care to younger generations; this role reversal is being accelerated by HIV/AIDS deaths among young adults. In most rural households, the non-contributory old age pension (OAP) that is means-tested is an important factor in making older people breadwinners. Using data from the 2004 Mpumalanga Older People's Survey, the authors examined the changing role of older people, which has been influenced mainly by changes in household structure and old age pension. Findings show that in 63% of matrifocal, multigenerational households, 76% of older people are the sole providers of household necessities, caring for the sick and grandchildren in increasingly skip-generation households. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).