Older adults, perceived ageism, civic participation and mental health: a qualitative study

Abstract

Objectives This study has three objectives: A) To investigate the relationship of ageism on older adults’ civic activities; B) To analyze the influence of ageism on mental health; and C) To explore the impact of civic participation on older adults’ mental health. Method This qualitative study included 782 older people from three different nationalities (Portuguese, Brazilian, and English) ranging in age from 65 to 88. All the interviews went through the process of content analysis. Results For the first objective, the findings encompass one high-level theme (Social and individual incompetence), which included social rejection (86%), reduced competence (84%), expectations of failure (83%), and not being able to contribute (77%). For the second objective, findings indicated two overarching categories: Perceived inability, including frustration and impotence (89%), incompetence (77%) and irrelevance (71%); and Perceived distress, including anger (81%), feelings of anxiety (68%); and emotional bursts (63%). For the third objective, the following two high-level themes emerged: Ego-oriented resources, which comprised the development of a sense of purpose (81%), learning cognitive skills (71%), and (A3) practising sense of agency (67%); and Social-oriented resources, encompassing feeling socially integrated (80%); and expressing emotionally (54%). Findings indicated that the most verbalized themes for the three objectives were the same across the three nationalities. Conclusions Ageism made it difficult for people to participate in civic life, which has been linked to better mental health. These findings emphasize the need to encourage inclusive civic involvement to improve older individuals’ mental health.