Years of the research: 2002 - 2004
Country: Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Sweden, United Kingdom
Language: English
Keywords:
Abstract:
"Comparative study with data collection in an urban environment(s) of countries: Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Sweden United Kingdom. The main aim of the Enable Age project (2002-2004) was to examine, in a European perspective, the home environment as a determinant for autonomy, participation, well-being and health in old age and by this create recommendations for healthy housing solutions across Europe. - Especially in very old age - Especially when living in private households - Especially when living alone - In different European countries (e.g., West vs. East) In Hungary a survey (n=397) and a follow-up survey (n=179) examined the attitudes, psychological status and other aspects of life of older people of 75-85 years of age living alone in Budapest. Additionally, a thorough assessment of their home environment (Housing Enabler) were conducted and interlinked in the analysis. Moreover, a qualitative in-depth study based on the constructivist grounded theory were carried out focussing on the subjective perceptions of the own health, social participation, social support, home environment and independent living.
Researchers:
Type of research: Local, urban environment: Budapest
Target group: Older people, 75-85 years of age, living alone in an urban setting (Budapest).
Sample:
Mixed methods. - Quantitative data collection of two waves (T1 and T2, a follow-up study), and at least a year passed between the two waves. Extensive data collection on the psychological status of the older people, their attitudes and norms, and the physical assessment of their home environment alondg various dimensions (Housing Enabler instrument). (n(T1)=392, n(T2)=179) - The qualitative analysis applied the methodology of Charmaz’s Constructivist Grounded Theory, an interview in the home environment of older people, with a roughly balanced age groups (75-80, 81-85) and gender-wise. Altogether 30 older people were participating, all selected from the quantitative sample. Quantitative: T1=397 T2: 179 The quantitative sample was selected from official Hungarian databases, the filter being the age (75-85 yrs of age) and the household status (living alone). The qualitative sample (n=30) was the subsample of the quantitative sample, after the conduction of the first questiuonnaire. Promising, rich cases were selected, and also gender and age dimensions were taken into account for a balanced qualitative sample.
Aims/Objectives/Background:
Main aim: to examine, in a European perspective, the home environment as a determinant for autonomy, participation, well-being and health in old age and by this create recommendations for healthy housing solutions across Europe. - Especially in very old age - Especially when living in private households - Especially when living alone - In different European countries (e.g., West vs. East) e.g., to optimise healthy housing solutions e.g., to enable and support independence, activity and participation e.g., to prevent illness, declined health, and institutionalisation Main Objectives: 1. To examine the interplay of objective housing circumstances (e.g., access) and subjective evaluations of the home (e.g., place attachment) among very old people. Description of person-environment fit. 2. To examine the relation of objective and subjective housing circumstances on the one side and autonomy, participation, and well-being on the other side. Identification of country-specific person-environment constellations (fit or misfit). 3. To examine the predictive role of observed objective housing circumstances and subjective evaluations of the home environment over time. Promotion of future societal support and citizens' potential to live independently as long as possible.
Findings/outcome/conclusion/research questions:
"The aim of Kucsera’s dissertation was to outline a narrative that describes in a clear and understandable way the subjective quality of life of people around 80 living alone in Budapest. The investigation is based on the data of 32 semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in 2003-2004 with 30 persons aged 76-86 years living alone in Budapest. The interviews and their analysis were based on the emerging methodology of constructivist grounded theory associated with the name of Kathy Charmaz, within the frames of the constructivist paradigm and the symbolical-interactionist theoretical perspective. In addition to the sociological approach, emphasis is also placed in the dissertation on the social psychological and psychological viewpoints. The in-depth interviews analysed are part of ENABLE AGE, an international research project supported by the European Commission. Instead of the research paradigm generally applied in quality of life investigations in Hungary combining objective and subjective factors, this research based specifically on exploring the subjective factors aiming to create an understanding-interpretative narrative condensing the subjective experiences of one of the groups in society that is less known despite being at risk and deprived. The factors of subjective quality of life examined were the following: state of health; the meaning of home; independence and autonomy; social support and social participation. It can be said of the influence the subjective state of health has on the quality of life that the subjective “health level” and “sickness level” depend on many things, ranging from the presence of pain and symptoms, through the extent to which physical and cognitive capacities are diminished, to the reference selected for social comparison, the relativising context of the life history or to the ego narrative capable of rationalising the state of health. These interpretative acts construct the subjective state of health, which influences the individual’s attitudes, behaviour and general feeling in everyday life. However, the subjective state of health is not static even within a given stage of life, consequently the quality of life feeling it influences also changes, at times from day to day or from one situation to another. Regarding the subjective meaning of home, it can be said that it plays a part of outstanding importance in the life of the elderly, through its many-layered symbolic contents, becoming part of the identity. In part it is this attachment to place that is the reason why it is generally only with great difficulty and under some external constraint that they take the step of leaving home (moving elsewhere). With its unchanged state the home represents a kind of continuity and gives a feeling of security. It must also be stressed that old age, even combined with living alone, is not a sufficient condition for a feeling of loneliness to arise. An autonomous way of life independent of others is a goal they make serious efforts to attain and they are very sensitive to questions of independence manifested in decision-making, they want to feel that they are still in control of their lives. They counterbalance any limitation of independence with various coping strategies, but adapting the home environment to suit their changed performance capabilities was not something that they naturally thought of doing. Some of them preferred not to speculate on possible future unfavourable changes, thereby avoiding the attendant stress. Among the forms of social support, they would rely principally on their circle of informal supporters, although such supports are not always problem-free and do not necessarily meet all demands; such support may also have unintended negative consequences. In the ideal case from the viewpoint of the elderly, the supporter is someone in a confidential, intimate relationship with the elderly person, someone who shows empathy, knows the elderly person’s needs, is on a equal footing with the elderly person, who welcomes also receiving support on a reciprocal basis, perhaps earlier. As regards their classical forms, changes in the social participation of the elderly can be described as a steady decline where, in addition to the causes rooted in or emerging from the individual (deterioration in the state of health, loss of confidence, alienation from society, etc.), a host of external causes could also be identified (environmental obstacles, death of spouse or peers, etc.). However, the changes occurring in social participation cannot be described exclusively as decline: qualitative shifts of emphasis can also be identified in the social participation of the elderly in which they try to experience to the full longstanding and surviving relationships that are important for them. Another interesting element in the participation of the elderly is the numerous and varied forms of participation that can be qualified as being of a new type or undergoing transformation, or that reflect the connection between the emergence of boredom and loneliness. At the end of the dissertation a reflective analysis is performed and also the questions of credibility of the research are examined.
Publication/reports:
Online publication/reports/links:
tatk.elte.hu/file/dissz_2012_KucseraCsaba.pdf
Financed by: European Commission
Contact person: Zsuzsa Széman, szemanzs@hu.inter.net
Copyright
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