Research on Ageing and Social Policy

Quality Indicators for Residential Long-Term Care for the Elderly: A Scoping Review

Natália Loureiro, José Ignacio Martin — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The objective of this study was to review the existing literature on the evaluation of care in residential homes for elderly, considering its quality through quality indicators, using secondary databases. A systematic search was conducted, following the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. One hundred and ten studies were included, in which 1,239 indicators were identified. More than half of the identified indicators (N=663, 53%) were linked to outcomes, with about 33% (N=413) related to structure, and 14% (N=175) to process indicators. The most frequently studied indicators as dependent variables were: "Pressure ulcer," "Staffing issues," and "Psychotropic Drug Use." As independent variables, indicators relating to structure were prominent: "Facility characteristics," "Resident characteristics," and "Staffing Issues”. There is a broad consensus around a care approach centered on clinical and structural aspects, in accordance with the profile of residents, and reflecting historical concerns about quality of care and patient safety that were the origin of quality assessment systems, and which remain the focus of concerns to this day.

Discourses of Aging in a Malaysian Online Newspaper: Shaping of the Perceptions of Society

Shalini Selvaraj, Shanti C. Sandaran — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Media representations of aging and older adults is an influential platform for shaping public discourse about aging related matters. Previous research has highlighted that the media’s depictions of older adults are often limited and biased. Such representations significantly influence society’s perceptions of the aging population. With population aging being currently a global social concern, such negative representations raise critical questions about media’s portrayal of aging related matters. Taking on the view that aging is a socially constructed phenomenon, we undertake a Discourse Analysis of 83 online news reports on aging from May 2022 to May 2023, from Malaysia’s high readership online newspaper, The Star. The results unveil several dominant discourses associated with aging, such as discourse of implications, positive aging and negative aging. The study provides valuable insights into the language used and the portrayal of aging populations in newspapers which play a vital role in shaping societal perceptions of aging, which can be either favourable or detrimental for the aging population’s self-worth and dignity. We advocate for more positive portrayals using inclusive language that is crucial for developing a cultural mindset that appreciates and honours the dignity of older members of society.

Active and Healthy Aging: A Systematic Review of the Social Science Literature

Stella Iantzi-Vicente — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The increase in life expectancy and the fact that the Baby Boom generation is approaching old age will require changes in social policies. In this respect, the promotion of active and healthy ageing is vital. To this end, it is necessary to consider all perspectives of ageing in order to work from a holistic perspective. Thus, in order to achieve a holistic approach, it is necessary to know what has been written in the scientific literature in the social field so far on active and healthy ageing, in order to begin to draw lines of action from the institutions and social policies. In this article, a systematic literature review was carried out in the Scopus, Social Service Abstract and Dialnet databases. After a series of discards, a total of 77 articles were analysed. The results show the importance of promoting active and healthy ageing by social institutions and policies. Given that not all people can age in the same way, social inequalities and unfriendly environments create additional barriers and problems for older people to have an active and healthy old age.

The Impact of Gendered Ageism and Related Intersectional Inequalities on the Health and Well-being of Older Women

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Gendered ageism contributes to invisibility and homogenization of older women, harming their health, quality of life and limiting their social participation. Health issues related to aging have received increasing attention in the scientific literature. However, studies on aging that include a gender dimension or ethnic aspects remain scarce. This article presents the results of a systematic review on older women’s health and wellbeing, gender inequalities, age discrimination experienced by older women and their intersections with other forms of discrimination. Between January and February 2023, we conducted a literature review using PRISMA in the Web of Science Core Collection, MEDLINE and SciELO Citation Index. We selected 43 empirical studies from different countries focusing on women over 65 years. The findings show the incidence of discrimination and inequality in health care experienced by older women, ageist attitudes among health care providers and other professionals, experiences of abuse and gender-based violence among older women. Additionally, the study examines the impact of ageism and other forms of discrimination on the health of LGBTQ+ older people, ethnic minorities, older women with disabilities, and other non-traditional groups.