Abstract
Social constructions of successful ageing provide an invaluable resource for challenging and reconfiguring approaches and models of geriatric care. This paper has established that contrary to normative framing of successful ageing as that (ageing) which is free from diseases and infirmity, older persons in Ruware Park of Marondera had some social, cultural, personal and economic conceptualisations of the notion. Based on these varied conceptualisations, this paper has advocated for the remodelling of geriatric care programmes, policies and philosophies towards infusing localised notions of successful ageing in forming comprehensive and multidimensional geriatric intervention plans. Social work is critical in effectuating the change.
Highlights
Ageing and the ageing process remain among the most ambiguous experiences for humanity (Gilleard & Higgs, 2014)
While tales of miserable ageing abound, Cruikshank (2013) mentions that not all older persons experience grim and painful ageing; some are lucky to experience their senescence with far fewer bio-psychosocial and physiological challenges. As their starting point, the researchers ask what older persons perceive as successful ageing? The researchers strongly believe that an investigation of the social constructions of successful ageing among older persons carries the potential to reveal important solutions for the mitigation of the many physiological and socioeconomic challenges encountered by older persons
The findings demonstrated that there was a multiplicity of conceptualisations of successful ageing by older persons in Marondera
Summary
Ageing and the ageing process remain among the most ambiguous experiences for humanity (Gilleard & Higgs, 2014). The process is riddled with physical, social, cognitive and psychological intricacies whose impacts are sometimes devastating to the elderly (Weiss, 2013) This perhaps vindicates assertions that ageing is both a blessing and a curse (Luke, 2010; Gilleard & Higgs, 2014). While tales of miserable ageing abound, Cruikshank (2013) mentions that not all older persons experience grim and painful ageing; some are lucky to experience their senescence with far fewer bio-psychosocial and physiological challenges. The phenomenon of successful ageing has been defined by Foster and Walker (2014) as including three main components: low probability of disease and disease-related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with life This represents one of the relatively new discourses of social gerontology that has continued to stimulate scholarly debates across the globe. This unbalanced exposition of the phenomenon (successful ageing) gives an impression that the challenges of ageing are only physical (Drake & Middleton, 2017). Reichstadt et al (2010) dispute this narrative by indicating that the majority of older persons seldom face physical ailments but other challenges
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
