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Receiving support when older: what makes it ok?

Ruth E S Allen1, Janine L Wiles2

  • 1Social & Community Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. ruthallen@pl.net.

The Gerontologist
|June 1, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Older adults perceive support diversely, often resisting it if it implies incapacity. Understanding these nuanced experiences is crucial for effective elder support strategies.

Keywords:
AgeismAutonomy and self-efficacyChildfree/less adultsIndependenceNarrative methodsQualitative research methodsSocial support

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Sociology of Aging
  • Social Support Networks

Background:

  • Societal perceptions often assume older adults require external support.
  • The experiences and expectations of older adults as 'support receivers' are not well understood.
  • Childless elders are a group considered 'at risk' for lacking adequate support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the lived experiences and expectations of older adults regarding receiving support.
  • To investigate how older adults position themselves in relation to receiving support.
  • To understand the interplay between support, independence, and aging.

Main Methods:

  • Qualitative interviews with community-dwelling childless elders (n=38, aged 63-93).
  • Analysis using positioning theory within a narrative gerontology framework.
  • Focus on how support receipt is 'positioned' and its relation to aging.

Main Results:

  • Support is defined diversely and is not a simple concept for older adults.
  • Receiving support can be contingent on circumstances, support giver qualities, and reciprocity.
  • Support receipt is resisted when linked to interpersonal difficulties or perceived incapacity, conflicting with desires for independence.
  • 'Oldness' is negatively positioned, sometimes equated with needing support or as a consequence of receiving it.

Conclusions:

  • Defining and receiving support presents significant challenges for older individuals.
  • Assessing support needs requires understanding the 'positioning' of support, not just quantity.
  • Assumptions about 'at-risk' groups can be inaccurate; many older adults maintain robust, albeit less visible, support networks.