Lutter contre l’isolement social des personnes âgées

Abstract

Defining social isolation is not a simple task, despite the fact that the words that describe this phenomenon seem to be unequivocal. In this article, the ambiguities resulting from the treatment of social isolation by institutional and associative actors will be highlighted, thanks to a survey conducted in a departmental council. The measures for combating the social isolation of the elderly present social isolation as a source of dependence and suffering similar to that produced by loneliness. The sociological approach to the institutional practices at stake, adopted in this study, seeks another way of understanding social isolation by presenting the differences in perception as described by the actors in the field (institutions, associations) and the public concerned (elderly people), with regard to the derogatory representations of aging that are implicitly supported by the measures mentioned above. Through the critical analysis of a questionnaire, letters sent to people over sixty-five, and interviews with people in situations of severe isolation, it is possible to identify other perspectives where isolation can be seen as a result of an identity strategy far from preconceived notions.