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Quality of life in older outpatients living alone in the community in Italy
- Authors:
- BILOTTA Claudia, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 20(1), January 2012, pp.32-41.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Living alone has been associated with a number of concerns regarding both physical and psychological health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the living conditions of community-dwelling older people and their quality of life (QOL) considered in all its specific domains. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to determine: which dimensions of QOL were independently associated with living alone; and the independent correlates of these dimensions of QOL amongst older outpatients. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 239 community-dwelling outpatients aged 65 years and over consecutively referred to a geriatric medicine clinic in Italy between June and November 2009. The participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment, which included evaluation of QOL. The findings show that the QOL of older people living alone at home is similar to the QOL of the older adults living with others. Two specific dimensions of QOL were worse in older people living alone: ‘social relationships and participation’ and ‘home and neighbourhood’. Amongst the 107 subjects living alone, depression, having no caregiver, and having never been married were characteristics independently associated with a poor QOL.
Being lonely later in life: a qualitative study among Albanians and Moroccans in Italy
- Authors:
- CELA Eralba, FOKKEMA Tineke
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 37(6), 2017, pp.1197-1226.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This study focuses on the social wellbeing of older migrants in Italy, an important yet neglected topic in the Italian political and scholarly debate. Knowledge about the lived experience of loneliness and its perceived causes was gathered by means of 34 in-depth interviews with Albanian and Moroccan migrants aged 50 and above living in the Marche region. The authors'r findings show that the participants are surrounded by family and are largely satisfied with the contact they have with relatives; this protects them from social isolation but not from loneliness. Although they rarely express this to their spouse and friends (men) or their children (men and women), feelings of loneliness are widely experienced among the participants. The root of their loneliness largely relates to a lack of meaningful relationships with non-related age peers – having a chat, remembering old times, socialising with others when family members are busy, talking about intimate matters they cannot or will not share with relatives – which supports the argument of loneliness scholars that different types of relationships serve different functions and fulfil different needs. Having more contact with people outside the family circle, especially with co-ethnic peers, could reduce these feelings of loneliness substantially, but factors such as discrimination and lack of Italian language proficiency, free time, financial resources and nearby contact facilities are hindrances. These factors offer clues for public loneliness interventions. (Edited publisher abstract)
A pilot programme evaluation of social farming horticultural and occupational activities for older people in Italy
- Authors:
- GAGLIARDI Cristina, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 27(1), 2019, pp.207-214.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The aim of this study was to evaluate a 1‐year social farming programme conducted between 2014 and 2015, including horticultural and occupational activities on six agricultural farms for older people in good general health. Social farming is a practice that uses agricultural resources to provide health, social or educational services to vulnerable groups of people. Activity participation, social relationships, physical activity, and the quality of life of the participants were assessed using a pretest, posttest design. A total of 112 subjects were interviewed at baseline, though only 73 participants were retained through the end of the follow‐up, resulting in a dropout rate of 34%. Data analysis revealed significant improvements in both social relationships and overall occupational engagement at the end of the programme, with significant increases in the frequency of contact with friends or relatives as well as the number of activities performed by the participants. This work adds to the literature on the effects of social farming and indicates that farming may provide opportunities for older people to engage in activities that stimulate social behaviours. (Edited publisher abstract)
Healthy settings for older people are healthy settings for all: the experience of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
- Author:
- WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. Regional Office for Europe
- Publisher:
- World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe
- Publication year:
- 2018
- Pagination:
- xiv, 81
- Place of publication:
- Denmark
This report shows how age-friendly environments have been created at the subnational level, using examples primarily from the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy but also from other regions belonging to the WHO Regions for Health Network. With the older segment of its population reaching 25 percent and still increasing, Friuli-Venezia Giulia put in place an integrated system to promote healthy ageing. The system incorporates new models of social protection and fosters new social relations and networks in local areas in order to promote sustainability; solidarity in relationships, behaviours and actions; and social responsibility. Innovations adopted in health care and social services include projects to promote the quality of life at home for older and dependent people which includes initiatives to prevent loneliness, to adapt flats with technology, and to implement tele-assistance and tele-medicine initiatives. The regions experience with healthy ageing gives rise to a series of key messages, applicable to other regions, countries and settings. These are that: age-friendly environments benefit everyone; start small or locally and gather evidence for use in later scaling up; recognise the value of making a cultural shift from citizens to policymakers; planning in cycles based on evaluation is important; and that exposure to international experience, leadership and expertise is beneficial. (Edited publisher abstract)
Family disruption and support in later life: a comparative study between the United Kingdom and Italy
- Authors:
- TOMASSINI Cecilia, GLASER Karen, STUCHBURY Rachel
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Issues, 63(4), 2007, pp.845-863.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Employing data from the longitudinal British Household Panel Survey (1991–2003) and the 1998 Indagine Multiscopo sulle Famiglie "Famiglia, soggetti sociali e condizione dell’infanzia," this study investigated the association between family disruptions due to divorce, separation, or death and three key dimensions of informal support: (i) frequency of contact with unrelated friends (among all respondents aged 65 years and over); (ii) co-residence with children (among unmarried mothers aged 65 years and over); and (iii) regular or frequent help received from children (e.g., household assistance including care) among parents aged 65 years and over. In addition, a comparative investigation of the relationship between family disruptions and the use of home care services (i.e., health visitor or district nurse; home help; meals-on-wheels) among parents aged 65 years and over was conducted. The findings suggest that in a culture like the U.K.'s, where relations between kin are primarily influenced by individualistic values, support in later life appears to be primarily related to need, whereas in societies with a strong familistic culture (like Italy's), support is received irrespective of the older person's individual characteristics.
Transnational families and aged care: the mobility of care and the migrancy of ageing
- Author:
- BALDASSAR Loretta
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 33(2), March 2007, pp.275-297.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This paper is an ethnographic exploration of a seldom-discussed 'micro' dimension of transnational studies, the practices of long-distance family relations and aged care. The importance of time as a key variable in transnational research is demonstrated through comparisons of the care exchanges of three cohorts of Italian migrants in Australia and their kin in Italy. A focus on 'transnationalism from below', the more quotidian and domestic features of transmigrant experience, highlights the importance of considering the role of homeland kin and communities in discussions of migration. The analysis of transnational care-giving practices illustrates that migrancy is sometimes triggered by the need to give or receive care rather than the more commonly assumed 'rational' economic motivations. Transnational lives are thus shaped by the 'economies of kinship', which develop across changing state ('macro'), community ('meso') and family migration ('micro') histories, including, in particular, culturally constructed notions of 'ideal' family relations and obligations, as well as notions of 'successful' migration and 'licence to leave'.
Psychological abuse among older persons in Europe: a cross-sectional study
- Authors:
- MACASSA Gloria, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research, 5(1), 2013, pp.16-34.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
There is evidence to suggest that the rate of elder abuse in all its forms is growing. However, because of the difficulty of measuring it, psychological abuse may be underestimated. This cross sectional study used data collected in 2009 as part of the survey “Elder abuse: a multinational prevalence survey, ABUEL”. The participants were 4,467 randomly selected persons aged 60-84 years (2,559 women, 57.3 per cent) from seven EU countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Sweden). Participants answered a structured questionnaire either face-to-face or a mix of interview/self-response. The overall prevalence of psychological abuse was 29.7 per cent in Sweden, 27.1 per cent in Germany; 24.6 per cent in Lithuania and 21.9 per cent in Portugal. The lowest prevalence was reported in Greece, Spain and Italy with 13.2 per cent, 11.5 per cent and 10.4 per cent, respectively. Similar tendencies were observed concerning minor/severe abuse. The Northern countries (Germany, Lithuania, Sweden) compared to Southern countries (Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain) reported a higher mean prevalence of minor/severe abuse (26.3 per cent/11.5 per cent and 12.9 per cent/5.9 per cent, respectively). Most perpetrators (71.2 per cent) were spouses/partners and other relatives (e.g. children). The analyses indicate that being from Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain was associated with a lower risk of psychological abuse. Low social support, living in rented housing, alcohol use, frequent health care use, and high scores in anxiety and somatic complaints were associated with increased risk of psychological abuse.