Projects per year
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: In the Global North, the number of older people living alone who have little or no support from family members is increasing. However, little is known about older people living alone who have basic needs for support but do not have kin living nearby or a sustainable relationship to a relative they can rely on. Thus, this paper focuses on the role of nonkin carers and their contribution to the support arrangements of older people living alone. METHODS: We conducted semistructured interviews with 32 older people living alone aged between 67 and 99 (Ø 84.2 years) in Austria, 23 women, and 9 men. The interviews were analyzed by applying a coding strategy based on grounded theory. In addition, sociograms were created to illustrate relevant relations in each support arrangement. RESULTS: We identified and characterized 3 groups of nonkins involved in the support arrangements of older people living alone based on the origins of the relationships: (1) friends, (2) neighbors, and (3) acquaintances like members of various communities. The arrangements were classified according to the amount and quality of involvement of nonkin carers, namely manifold, scattered, and little nonkin involvement. DISCUSSION: Our study highlights the diversity of nonkin support in the support arrangements of older people living alone. This heterogeneity should be considered by policy-makers when promoting informal care and designing policy measures.
Original language | English |
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Article number | gbae008 |
Journal | Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences |
Volume | 79 |
Issue number | 5 |
Early online date | 29 Jan 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 May 2024 |
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 303024 Nursing science
- 303022 Palliative care
Keywords
- Informal caregiving
- Living arrangements
- Qualitative methods
- Social networks
Projects
- 1 Finished
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Older people living alone (OPLA) - Non-kin-carers´ support towards the end-of-life
1/03/18 → 28/02/22
Project: Research funding
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Forschen mit Menschen im hohen Alter und mit Hilfebedarf: Solidarität und Verbundenheit
Reitinger, E., Pichler, B. & Heimerl, K., 2024, Intersektionale Solidaritäten: Beiträge zur gesellschaftskritischen Geschlechterforschung. Barbara BudrichPublications: Contribution to book › Chapter › Peer Reviewed
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Older People Living Alone and their Non-kin Carers’ Support: Gender Reflections in Palliative Care Research
Reitinger, E., Pichler, B., Wosko, P., Pfabigan, J. & Pleschberger, S., 9 May 2024, In: Palliative Medicine. Research journal of the European Association for Palliative Care.. 38, 1 suppl, p. 183-183 1 p.Publications: Contribution to journal › Meeting abstract/Conference paper › Peer Reviewed
Open Access -
Under Reconstruction: The Impact of COVID-19 Policies on the Lives and Support Networks of Older People Living Alone.
Pfabigan, J., Wosko, P., Pichler, B., Reitinger, E. & Pleschberger, S., 2022, In: International Journal of Care and Caring. 6, 1-2, p. 211-228 18 p.Publications: Contribution to journal › Article › Peer Reviewed