Abstract
BackgroundPeople in very old age (VOA) are expected to be confronted with particularly negative stereotypes. These influence societally shared behavior towards and judgements about them. Such external evaluations of individuals’ lives are considered a crucial part of their quality of life (QoL).ObjectiveThe present study elaborated a) the societal appreciation perceived by people in VOA and b) the stereotypes about people in VOA held by stakeholders from key societal areas. The aim was to discuss possible connections between these external standards and individual life results.Material and methodsA parallel mixed methods design was employed. Cross-sectional data from a representative survey of people aged 80 years and older (n = 1863) were analyzed by means of χ2-tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests to examine differences in perceived societal appreciation (PSA) by characteristics of the person, their biography, and current lifestyle. Linear regression models were used to investigate the impact of these characteristics on PSA. Regarding stereotypes about people in VOA, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from key societal areas (n = 22) were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The quantitative and qualitative findings were juxtaposed for comparison.ResultsPSA was predicted by health-related variables and productive activities. Several societal stakeholders highlighted that age-related losses pose challenges on very old individuals, their families, and society, whereas remaining potentials in VOA can and should be used for the benefit of others; however, stakeholders‘ perceptions differed by the extent of their professional contact with (very) old people. Different pathways were proposed through which the observed stereotypes and determinants of PSA might be connected (e.g., stereotype internalization).ConclusionOur study illustrates the relevance of external standards for individual QoL and highlights the need for a normative perspective in the discussion about QoL and its enhancement.Supplementary InformationThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00391-021-01971-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. The article and the supplementary material are available in the electronic full-text archive at https://www.springermedizin.de/zeitschrift-fuer-gerontologie-und-geriatrie. You will find the supplementary material at the end of the article.
Highlights
People in very old age (VOA) are expected to be confronted with negative stereotypes
As “one of the most salient social categories” [51, p. 477], age activates a variety of societally shared beliefs about older people, their attributes, behavior, competencies and desires, referred to as old age stereotypes
While this deficit-oriented perspective has been challenged by a number of positive aging models that emphasize the potentials of older people, such as successful [39], active [17], or productive aging [6], critics argue that these concepts include all the more prescriptive stereotypes
Summary
People in very old age (VOA) are expected to be confronted with negative stereotypes These influence societally shared behavior towards and judgements about them. Old age stereotypes influence behavior, expectations, and judgements of people towards older individuals [2, 3, 27]. 531] have led to an image of older people having no active or necessary role in society [15], even posing an economic burden on society [29] While this deficit-oriented perspective has been challenged by a number of positive aging models that emphasize the potentials of older people, such as successful [39], active [17], or productive aging [6], critics argue that these concepts include all the more prescriptive stereotypes. By posing demands on older people to contribute, they put those with lacking options or motives to do so at risk of negative judgement (e.g., [46])
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