The impact of social network change and health decline: a qualitative study on experiences of older adults who are ageing in place

Abstract

Background Older adults prefer to age in place. Social network change and health decline challenge ageing in place, as stressors that make age-related advantages disappear. The aim of this study was to explore social network change and health decline and its impact on older adults who are ageing in place. Method In-depth interviews (n = 16) were conducted with older adults who were ageing in place and who were experiencing health decline and social network change. Procedures for grounded theory building were followed to analyse the interviews with respondents who were discharged from the hospital less than 4 months ago (n = 7). Narrative analysis was conducted to reach a deeper understanding of the expected complexity of experiences of this targeted sample. Results Results encompass a typology with four types of impact: A. Sneak preview of old age, B. Disruptive transition into old age, C. Drastically ageing, and D. Steadily ageing. Additionally, indications were found that older adults should be able to move along the four types of impact and ideally could end up in quartile D, experiencing little or no impact at all (anymore). Conclusion The results present an optimistic view on the possibilities of older adults to continue ageing in place despite experiencing unavoidable and uncontrollable stressors in life. Also, the results provide leads for practice, to develop an action perspective for home care nurses and gerontological social workers to determine and reduce the impact of social network change and health decline on older adults who are ageing in place. Suggestions for further research would be to unravel how to detect temporal setbacks in successful ageing in place.

Examining the social networks of older adults receiving informal or formal care: a systematic review

“…Of the 34 qualitative studies (Supplementary Figure S1 ), 24 were rated as low risk of bias [ 28 , 35 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 43 , 45 , 48 , 49 , 53 , 55 , 56 , 64 , 71 , 73 – 76 , 79 , 92 , 99 , 107 , 114 , 115 ], nine as moderate risk of bias [ 37 , 42 , 44 , 47 , 54 , 63 , 72 , 77 , 108 ] and one as high risk of bias [ 46 ]. Of the 83 quantitative studies (Supplementary Figure S2 - S3 ), 18 were rated as low risk of bias [ 3 , 62 , 70 , 80 , 86 , 89 , 96 , 105 , 113 , 116 – 125 ], 56 as moderate risk of bias [ 7 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 39 , 51 , 57 – 60 , 66 – 69 , 81 – 84 , 87 , 88 , 90 , 93 , 94 , 97 , 98 , …”

Aging Experiences among Older People in Conakry/Guinea: Towards an Age-Friendly City and Community

“…The same is true in a region in the south of the Netherlands where participants described themselves as social and hospitable. Respondents to this study mentioned that they liked to go out and were willing to continue their social participation [33]. Also, an age-friendly programme entitled "Ambition for Aging" (AfA) based in the North-West of England has shown that facilitating age-friendly work requires the presence of certain capitals in a neighborhood.…”