Liikuntatieteellinen tiedekunta, Gerontologian tutkimuskeskus (GEREC) ja Avoin yliopisto 2 Tamper... more Liikuntatieteellinen tiedekunta, Gerontologian tutkimuskeskus (GEREC) ja Avoin yliopisto 2 Tampereen yliopisto, Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta, Gerontologian tutkimuskeskus (GEREC) ja Ikääntymisen ja hoivan tutkimuksen huippuyksikkö (CoE AgeCare) ja Jyväskylän yliopisto, Humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellinen tiedekunta, Ikääntymisen ja hoivan tutkimuksen huippuyksikkö (CoE AgeCare) 3 Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos ja Tampereen yliopisto, Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta, Gerontologian tutkimuskeskus (GEREC) ja Ikääntymisen ja hoivan tutkimuksen huippuyksikkö
This study examined the effect of perceptions of local area safety and accessibility of recreatio... more This study examined the effect of perceptions of local area safety and accessibility of recreational spaces, on physical activity. Data was from the Age Friendly City and Counties survey, in ten counties in Ireland (n=4,765). A randomeffects logit model was used to estimate the effect of 1) perceptions of the accessibility and availability of recreational green areas, 2) experience of crime, and 3) perceptions of safety while out and about in the local area, on the odds of meeting national physical activity guidelines (>= 150 minutes per week). Age, sex, education, limiting illness and location (urban/rural) were adjusted for. Difficulty accessing a recreational green space (OR=0.74, p=<0.01), or the unavailability of such a space (OR=0.80, p=0.04), was associated with reduced odds of meeting physical activity guidelines. Respondents who had an experience that left them concerned about their safety (OR=0.78, p<0.01), who felt unsafe out and about during the day (OR=0.61, p=0.04) or at night (OR=0.82, p=0.02) were also less likely to meet physical activity guidelines. Improvements to the local environment may be useful for promoting increased physical activity, in addition to individual-level behaviour change interventions.
Objective: The study analysed how its participants positioned themselves and other people as acto... more Objective: The study analysed how its participants positioned themselves and other people as actors in daily life, and what matters they portrayed as meaningful in seeking and receiving support in daily life.Background: Family care has traditionally played an important role in elder care in Finland. Current policy goals will further increase the importance of family care, yet research on how people with memory illnesses and their spouses perceive care arrangements is scarce. Method: The study drew from theory of relational agency and positioning theory. The data came from semi-structured, in-depth interviews (10) of home-dwelling people diagnosed with a memory illness and their spouses. The interviewees’ age varied from 62 to 88. The analysis focused on the participants’ self-descriptions and descriptions of their experiences and actions in relation to informal and formal care arrangements. Results: The participants with a memory illness positioned themselves together with their spo...
Muistisairauksiin usein liittyvät kognitiiviset ja persoonallisuuden muutokset sekä itseilmaisun ... more Muistisairauksiin usein liittyvät kognitiiviset ja persoonallisuuden muutokset sekä itseilmaisun vaikeudet saattavat ilmetä käyttäytymisen muutoksina. Puoliso ja muut läheiset kohtaavat nämä muutokset ensimmäisinä. Laadullisessa tutkimuksessamme selvitimme, millaisissa tilanteissa muistisairauden aiheuttamia ongelmallisina ja kielteisinä koettuja käyttäytymisen muutoksia ilmaantuu, ja miten ne vaikuttavat parisuhteen vastavuoroisuuteen. Käyttäytymisen muutoksista käytetään termiä ’käytösoireet’. Aineiston analyysissä hyödynsimme sosiaalisen vaihdon teoriaa. Käyttäytymisen muutokset tulivat puheeksi vain niissä haastatteluissa, joissa muistisairautta sairastava puoliso oli aviomies. Vaikka puoliso-omaishoitajat osasivat odottaa puolison käyttäytymisen muuttuvan sairauden myötä, muutokset tulivat yllätyksenä. Käytösoireet liittyivät tilanteisiin, joissa puoliso-omaishoitaja neuvoi, ohjasi tai rajoitti muistisairaan puolisonsa arkirutiineissa toimimista, sekä tilanteissa, joissa muisti...
As the population ages, the number of people with dementia increases. An emerging body of researc... more As the population ages, the number of people with dementia increases. An emerging body of research is focusing on living with dementia and understanding the experience of caring and the care burden. There is much less research on the meaning of dementia from the perspective of an older couple’s spousal relationship and related intimacy. This qualitative study explores the meanings of emotional and physical intimacy and the changes brought by dementia in the couplehood of persons with dementia and their spousal carers. The data comprise semi-structured interviews with 35 persons. The interviews were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Four themes describing the meanings of relational intimacy were identified: intimacy as a striving force, intimacy turning into worrisome behaviour, intimacy as physical and emotional dependency, and intimacy turning into one-sided caring for a partner. Dementia changes the intimate relationship in many ways, but shared affection and ...
As an inevitable process, the number of older adults is increasing in many countries worldwide. T... more As an inevitable process, the number of older adults is increasing in many countries worldwide. Two of the main problems that society is being confronted with more and more, in this respect, are the inter-related aspects of feelings of loneliness and social isolation among older adults. In particular, the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and its associated restrictions have exacerbated the loneliness and social-isolation problems. This paper is first and foremost a comprehensive survey of loneliness monitoring and management solutions, from the multidisciplinary perspective of technology, gerontology, socio-psychology, and urban built environment. In addition, our paper also investigates machine learning-based technological solutions with wearable-sensor data, suitable to measure, monitor, manage, and/or diminish the levels of loneliness and social isolation, when one also considers the constraints and characteristics coming from social science, gerontology, and architecture/urban built envi...
Recent changes in Finnish welfare policies have increased the need for family involvement in elde... more Recent changes in Finnish welfare policies have increased the need for family involvement in eldercare. This article uses qualitative interviews to study working adult daughters’ reasons for moving in with their parent(s). Coresidence was linked to the parents’ need for support, but also to the daughters’ life situations, family histories, the availability of welfare services, and cultural norms and values. The interviewees used the “familist” and “independent life” discourses in their speech. The familist discourse was used to argue for coresidence as a natural continuation of family traditions and life history, whereas the independent life discourse was used to legitimize the need for alternative care options and having a home of their own.
In the foreseeable future, alternative housing options will be needed to meet the needs of and an... more In the foreseeable future, alternative housing options will be needed to meet the needs of and answer to the wishes of older people. Co-housing schemes are developed to fulfill the need for a housing type that provides mutual support and social contacts while alleviating the isolation and loneliness often experienced in ordinary neighborhoods. This study on a senior co-housing community in Finland asked what a “sense of community” meant to the residents and how a sense of community becomes visible in daily life. For these residents, a sense of community meant not only living with like-minded people but also communal activities, doing things together, learning from each other, and having reciprocal support, all of which created a sense of togetherness, belonging, and trust. The findings of this study showed that moving in later life can offer a viable option of having a living environment that one likes, which calls for a broader interpretation of housing policy guided by “aging in place” thinking.
The chapter addresses the characteristics and situations of working carers of older people in Fin... more The chapter addresses the characteristics and situations of working carers of older people in Finland and Sweden. It draws together knowledge on employment legislation, public policy and payments to working carers with studies on family care of older people. The central questions addressed are: Who are the carers? What kind of support is available for them? Are their working lives affected by caring responsibilities? And how do they perceive their everyday lives? The chapter shows that in both countries, family carers, the majority of whom are working women, have a major role in older people’s care. It argues that restructuring older people’s public care services has implicitly increased the expectation that family members will provide care, and notes that, while in the 2000s family care and working carers of older people have risen up the political agenda, legislation and practical actions to support them are still largely absent.
Liikuntatieteellinen tiedekunta, Gerontologian tutkimuskeskus (GEREC) ja Avoin yliopisto 2 Tamper... more Liikuntatieteellinen tiedekunta, Gerontologian tutkimuskeskus (GEREC) ja Avoin yliopisto 2 Tampereen yliopisto, Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta, Gerontologian tutkimuskeskus (GEREC) ja Ikääntymisen ja hoivan tutkimuksen huippuyksikkö (CoE AgeCare) ja Jyväskylän yliopisto, Humanistis-yhteiskuntatieteellinen tiedekunta, Ikääntymisen ja hoivan tutkimuksen huippuyksikkö (CoE AgeCare) 3 Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos ja Tampereen yliopisto, Yhteiskuntatieteiden tiedekunta, Gerontologian tutkimuskeskus (GEREC) ja Ikääntymisen ja hoivan tutkimuksen huippuyksikkö
This study examined the effect of perceptions of local area safety and accessibility of recreatio... more This study examined the effect of perceptions of local area safety and accessibility of recreational spaces, on physical activity. Data was from the Age Friendly City and Counties survey, in ten counties in Ireland (n=4,765). A randomeffects logit model was used to estimate the effect of 1) perceptions of the accessibility and availability of recreational green areas, 2) experience of crime, and 3) perceptions of safety while out and about in the local area, on the odds of meeting national physical activity guidelines (>= 150 minutes per week). Age, sex, education, limiting illness and location (urban/rural) were adjusted for. Difficulty accessing a recreational green space (OR=0.74, p=<0.01), or the unavailability of such a space (OR=0.80, p=0.04), was associated with reduced odds of meeting physical activity guidelines. Respondents who had an experience that left them concerned about their safety (OR=0.78, p<0.01), who felt unsafe out and about during the day (OR=0.61, p=0.04) or at night (OR=0.82, p=0.02) were also less likely to meet physical activity guidelines. Improvements to the local environment may be useful for promoting increased physical activity, in addition to individual-level behaviour change interventions.
Objective: The study analysed how its participants positioned themselves and other people as acto... more Objective: The study analysed how its participants positioned themselves and other people as actors in daily life, and what matters they portrayed as meaningful in seeking and receiving support in daily life.Background: Family care has traditionally played an important role in elder care in Finland. Current policy goals will further increase the importance of family care, yet research on how people with memory illnesses and their spouses perceive care arrangements is scarce. Method: The study drew from theory of relational agency and positioning theory. The data came from semi-structured, in-depth interviews (10) of home-dwelling people diagnosed with a memory illness and their spouses. The interviewees’ age varied from 62 to 88. The analysis focused on the participants’ self-descriptions and descriptions of their experiences and actions in relation to informal and formal care arrangements. Results: The participants with a memory illness positioned themselves together with their spo...
Muistisairauksiin usein liittyvät kognitiiviset ja persoonallisuuden muutokset sekä itseilmaisun ... more Muistisairauksiin usein liittyvät kognitiiviset ja persoonallisuuden muutokset sekä itseilmaisun vaikeudet saattavat ilmetä käyttäytymisen muutoksina. Puoliso ja muut läheiset kohtaavat nämä muutokset ensimmäisinä. Laadullisessa tutkimuksessamme selvitimme, millaisissa tilanteissa muistisairauden aiheuttamia ongelmallisina ja kielteisinä koettuja käyttäytymisen muutoksia ilmaantuu, ja miten ne vaikuttavat parisuhteen vastavuoroisuuteen. Käyttäytymisen muutoksista käytetään termiä ’käytösoireet’. Aineiston analyysissä hyödynsimme sosiaalisen vaihdon teoriaa. Käyttäytymisen muutokset tulivat puheeksi vain niissä haastatteluissa, joissa muistisairautta sairastava puoliso oli aviomies. Vaikka puoliso-omaishoitajat osasivat odottaa puolison käyttäytymisen muuttuvan sairauden myötä, muutokset tulivat yllätyksenä. Käytösoireet liittyivät tilanteisiin, joissa puoliso-omaishoitaja neuvoi, ohjasi tai rajoitti muistisairaan puolisonsa arkirutiineissa toimimista, sekä tilanteissa, joissa muisti...
As the population ages, the number of people with dementia increases. An emerging body of researc... more As the population ages, the number of people with dementia increases. An emerging body of research is focusing on living with dementia and understanding the experience of caring and the care burden. There is much less research on the meaning of dementia from the perspective of an older couple’s spousal relationship and related intimacy. This qualitative study explores the meanings of emotional and physical intimacy and the changes brought by dementia in the couplehood of persons with dementia and their spousal carers. The data comprise semi-structured interviews with 35 persons. The interviews were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Four themes describing the meanings of relational intimacy were identified: intimacy as a striving force, intimacy turning into worrisome behaviour, intimacy as physical and emotional dependency, and intimacy turning into one-sided caring for a partner. Dementia changes the intimate relationship in many ways, but shared affection and ...
As an inevitable process, the number of older adults is increasing in many countries worldwide. T... more As an inevitable process, the number of older adults is increasing in many countries worldwide. Two of the main problems that society is being confronted with more and more, in this respect, are the inter-related aspects of feelings of loneliness and social isolation among older adults. In particular, the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and its associated restrictions have exacerbated the loneliness and social-isolation problems. This paper is first and foremost a comprehensive survey of loneliness monitoring and management solutions, from the multidisciplinary perspective of technology, gerontology, socio-psychology, and urban built environment. In addition, our paper also investigates machine learning-based technological solutions with wearable-sensor data, suitable to measure, monitor, manage, and/or diminish the levels of loneliness and social isolation, when one also considers the constraints and characteristics coming from social science, gerontology, and architecture/urban built envi...
Recent changes in Finnish welfare policies have increased the need for family involvement in elde... more Recent changes in Finnish welfare policies have increased the need for family involvement in eldercare. This article uses qualitative interviews to study working adult daughters’ reasons for moving in with their parent(s). Coresidence was linked to the parents’ need for support, but also to the daughters’ life situations, family histories, the availability of welfare services, and cultural norms and values. The interviewees used the “familist” and “independent life” discourses in their speech. The familist discourse was used to argue for coresidence as a natural continuation of family traditions and life history, whereas the independent life discourse was used to legitimize the need for alternative care options and having a home of their own.
In the foreseeable future, alternative housing options will be needed to meet the needs of and an... more In the foreseeable future, alternative housing options will be needed to meet the needs of and answer to the wishes of older people. Co-housing schemes are developed to fulfill the need for a housing type that provides mutual support and social contacts while alleviating the isolation and loneliness often experienced in ordinary neighborhoods. This study on a senior co-housing community in Finland asked what a “sense of community” meant to the residents and how a sense of community becomes visible in daily life. For these residents, a sense of community meant not only living with like-minded people but also communal activities, doing things together, learning from each other, and having reciprocal support, all of which created a sense of togetherness, belonging, and trust. The findings of this study showed that moving in later life can offer a viable option of having a living environment that one likes, which calls for a broader interpretation of housing policy guided by “aging in place” thinking.
The chapter addresses the characteristics and situations of working carers of older people in Fin... more The chapter addresses the characteristics and situations of working carers of older people in Finland and Sweden. It draws together knowledge on employment legislation, public policy and payments to working carers with studies on family care of older people. The central questions addressed are: Who are the carers? What kind of support is available for them? Are their working lives affected by caring responsibilities? And how do they perceive their everyday lives? The chapter shows that in both countries, family carers, the majority of whom are working women, have a major role in older people’s care. It argues that restructuring older people’s public care services has implicitly increased the expectation that family members will provide care, and notes that, while in the 2000s family care and working carers of older people have risen up the political agenda, legislation and practical actions to support them are still largely absent.
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