Being useful among persons aged over 65: social representations from a cross-sectional European study

Abstract

Background There is a compelling need to prepare our societies and healthcare systems to deal with the oncoming wave of population ageing. The majority of older persons maintain a desire to be valued and useful members of society and of their social networks. Aims We sought to investigate the perception of usefulness among persons aged 65 years and over in four European countries. Methods We performed a cross-sectional survey with a representative sample of individuals aged 65 years or older from the population of retired persons (including recently retired persons and oldest-old individuals) from 4 European countries selected using quota sampling. In February 2016, an internet questionnaire was sent to all selected individuals. The characteristics used for the quota sampling method were sex, age, socio-professional category, region, city size, number of persons in household, autonomy, marital status, place of residence, income and educational status. The questionnaire contained 57 questions. Sociodemographic characteristics were recorded. Responses were analysed with principal components analysis (PCA). Results A total of 4025 persons participated; 51% were males, and 70% were aged 65–75 years. PCA identified six classes of individuals, of which two classes (Classes 2 and 3) were characterized by more socially isolated individuals with little or no sense of usefulness, low self-esteem and a poor sense of well-being. These two classes accounted for almost 20% of the population. Younger and more autonomous classes reported a more salient sense of usefulness. Conclusions The loss of the sense of usefulness is associated with dissatisfaction with life and a loss of pleasure, and persons with profiles corresponding to Classes 2 and 3 should, therefore, be targeted for interventions aimed at restoring social links.

Social Isolation of Older Adults Living in a Neighbourhood of Montreal: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of the Perspectives of Older Adults and Community Stakeholders

“…However, one type of social support that emerged in this study that is less documented in the literature is related to having people who make you feel that you are useful in society; that is, that you can contribute to it and that you have value. Indeed, although the sense of usefulness among older adults has been increasingly explored in recent years (de Boissieu et al, 2021), little is known about how to foster the social relationships that make older adults feel that way. This would be an important area for future research, particularly given the links that have been shown to exist between the sense of usefulness and the health and well-being of older adults (Gruenewald, Karlamangla, Greendale, Singer, & Seeman, 2007).…”

Relationships between non-communicable disease, social isolation and frailty in community dwelling adults in later life: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study

“…This is a growing public health concern, as social isolation has been associated with a number of both physical and psychological adverse health outcomes, such as poor physical capability, myocardial infarction, stroke, depression and mortality [ 10 – 16 ]. Therefore, recent studies have highlighted the importance of developing and implementing interventions aimed at reducing social isolation (as well as loneliness) in older populations [ 17 , 18 ].…”