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Dignity and older people
- Authors:
- ARINO-BLASCO Sergio, TADD Win, BOIX-FERRER Josep Antoni
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 6(1), June 2005, pp.30-36.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
This article deals with professionals' views concerning the importance of dignity for older people and how this can best be maintained. Overall, participants painted a negative picture of the lives of older people, although clear distinctions were drawn between fit and frail older people. Indignities associated with old age arose from ill health, dependency, vulnerability, frailty and loss of competence. It was considered that technological advances made older people seem left behind. However, many described working with this age group as an enjoyable experience. Professionals identified the following factors as essential to dignified care: promotion of autonomy and independence,; a person-centred and holistic approach; maintenance of identity and encouragement of involvement; participation and empowerment; effective communication and respect. Undignified care was associated with invisibility, de-personalisation, abuse, humiliation and narrow and mechanistic approaches to care.
Dignity and older Europeans: methodology
- Authors:
- CALNAN Michael, TADD Win
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 6(1), June 2005, pp.10-16.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
Describes the methods used within the Dignity and Older Europeans (DOE) Project and in particular the approach involved in developing the bibliographical database, the philosophical methods used in creating the theoretical model of dignity, together with the empirical methods involved in data collection with older people, health and social care practitioners and the younger and middle-aged adults. The article attempts to provide the reasoning for the chosen methods and highlight some of the difficulties involved in carrying out comparative cross-cultural research.
Dignity: the voice of older people
- Authors:
- BAYER Tony, TADD Win, KRAJCIK Stefan
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 6(1), June 2005, pp.22-29.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
Reports on the findings of 89 focus group and individual interviews, involving 391 people aged 61plus in six European countries. The study was carried out with the aim of exploring how older people view human dignity in their lives. It was seen as highly relevant and important concept, enhancing self-esteem, self-worth and wellbeing. Three major themes were identified: respect and recognition; participant and involvement; and dignity in care. The empirical data reflected the theoretical model of human dignity in that it considered the dignity of personal identity as of importance and relevance. In conclusion, the authors assert that for the dignity of older people to be enhanced, communication issues, privacy, personal identity and feelings of vulnerability need to be addressed.
‘Help me! I’m old!’ How negative aging stereotypes create dependency among older adults
- Authors:
- COUDIN Geneviève, ALEXOPOULOS Theodore
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 14(5), July 2010, pp.516-523.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study, examining the effects of negative ageing stereotypes on self-reported loneliness, risk-taking, subjective health, and help-seeking behaviour in a French sample of older people, aimed to show the detrimental effects of negative ageing stereotypes on older people’s self-evaluations and behaviours, therefore contributing to the explanations of the iatrogenic effect of social environments that increase dependency. The first experiment, using 57 older people, explored the effects of positive, neutral, or negative stereotype activation on the feeling of loneliness and risk taking decision. The second experiment, on 60 older people, examined the impact of stereotype activation on subjective health, self-reported extraversion as well as on a genuine help-seeking behaviour, by allowing participants to ask for the experimenter's help while completing a task. Findings showed that, as predicted, negative stereotype activation resulted in lower levels of risk taking, subjective health and extraversion, and in higher feelings of loneliness and a more frequent help-seeking behaviour. These findings suggest that the mere activation of negative stereotypes can have broad and deleterious effects on older peoples’ self-evaluation and functioning, which in turn may contribute to the often observed dependency among older people.
Dignity and older people: the voice of society
- Authors:
- STRATTON David, TADD Win
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 6(1), June 2005, pp.37-45.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
This article describes the findings of a focus group study designed to discover young and middle aged attitudes towards the subject of age and dignity. 89 focus groups were carried out with 505 participants aged between 13 and 59 years from the UK, Ireland, Spain, France, Slovakia and Sweden. The results confirmed that dignity was important to people of all ages but particularly to older people. Being treated as an individual was critical for the maintenance of dignity. In the participating countries older people were generally treated negatively and undervalued and seen as vulnerable, second-class citizens. Old age was seen as a time for physical and mental deterioration, poverty and dependency. Suggestions for enhancing dignity included greater public awareness about dignity for older people and existing care and support services. Health policies should also tackle ageism in service provision and the developments of standards in health and social care.