A Methodological Discourse On Gender, Independence, And Frailty: Applied Dimensions Of Identity Construction In Old Age

Stephenson, Peter H.; Wolfe, Nuala K; Coughlan, Rory; Koehn, Sharon

doi:10.1016/s0890-4065(99)00017-1

Cited by 25 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The examples presented above highlight that our interviewees were aware of the existence of age-related norms, and that the features socially attached to the fourth age are indeed a part of their social imaginary (Gilleard and Higgs 2013). It is well known that representations of old age affect the individual self-image of older persons (Coupland 2009; Häggblom-Kronlöf et al 2007; Queniart and Charpentier 2011; Stephenson et al 2000). Our interviewees seemed to recognise the normative nature of age categories, and consequently they intentionally broke them.…”

Section: Negotiating Autonomy At the Age Of 90mentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Old but not that old’: Finnish community-dwelling people aged 90+ negotiating their autonomy

et al. 2015

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Autonomy is a pervasive concept in Western lifestyles today. However, people in the fourth age are assumed not to be autonomous but dependent on other people. The data of this study consisted of interviews with Finnish community-dwelling --year-old people. The study aim was to examine how these people see their own autonomy in their everyday lives. The analysis was based on membership categorisation analysis. Our respondents considered their autonomy through three distinct themes. Functional ability was considered in terms of being physically capable of managing daily tasks. Independence in decision making was based on material and financial self-sufficiency and on the respondents' supposition that they were capable of making decisions due to an absence of memory disorders. Additionally, autonomy was considered as contesting norms of age-appropriateness. Among respondents, chronological age seemed to have been replaced by functional and cognitive ability as a definer of categorisations; age-others became ability-others. Our study revealed that the perceptions of autonomy also included gendered features as they were linked with differing gendered ideals, roles and life domains of women and men. The results highlight the internal diversity among the oldest old and challenge the third/fourth age division. Instead, they suggest the existence of a certain 'grey area' within old age, and urge an analysis on the subtle meaning making involved in older people's constructions of age-categorisations.

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Section: Negotiating Autonomy At the Age Of 90mentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Old but not that old’: Finnish community-dwelling people aged 90+ negotiating their autonomy

et al. 2015

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“…There is evidence that men are particularly sensitive to threats to independence and mastery that accompany aging (Krause 2007; Mansfield, Addis, and Mahalik 2003; Mirowsky 1995; Silverstein, Chen, and Heller 1996; Smith et al 2007; Stephenson et al 1999). At the same time, our arguments concerning the link between social network structure and ED make assumptions about the importance of traditional models of masculinity to men that may not be universally applicable.…”

Section: Social Network Gender and Sexual Function In Older Menmentioning

confidence: 99%

Network Position and Sexual Dysfunction: Implications of Partner Betweenness for Men

Cornwell

Laumann

2011

American Journal of Sociology

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This paper combines relational perspectives on gender identity with social network structural perspectives on health to understand men’s sexual functioning. We argue that network positions that afford independence and control over social resources are consistent with traditional masculine roles and may therefore affect men’s sexual performance. For example, when a heterosexual man’s female partner has more frequent contact with his confidants than he does–a situation that we refer to as partner betweenness – his relational autonomy, privacy, and control are constrained. Analyses of data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) show that about a quarter of men experience partner betweenness, and that these men are 92 percent more likely to report problems getting and/or maintaining an erection (95% CI: 1.274, 2.881). This association is strongest among the youngest men in the sample, which may reflect changing conceptions of masculinity in later life. We close by considering several explanations for these findings, and urge additional research on the linkages between health, gender, and network structure.

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“…In a broad sense Stephenson and Koehn (1999) have reported that maintaining independence is important to older people and that successful aging is defined greatly by one's capacity to maintain independence. While this finding displays the importance of independence it does not impart exactly what independence means to older adults.…”

Section: Independencementioning

confidence: 99%

An exploration of the needs and concerns of potential Ambient Assisted Living users within the context of the meaning of home

Savage¹

2010

Gerontechnology

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A Methodological Discourse On Gender, Independence, And Frailty: Applied Dimensions Of Identity Construction In Old Age

Cited by 25 publications

References 6 publications

‘Old but not that old’: Finnish community-dwelling people aged 90+ negotiating their autonomy

‘Old but not that old’: Finnish community-dwelling people aged 90+ negotiating their autonomy

Network Position and Sexual Dysfunction: Implications of Partner Betweenness for Men

An exploration of the needs and concerns of potential Ambient Assisted Living users within the context of the meaning of home

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