Participatory action research on webs of caring in the digital age across four European countries
Quality in Ageing and Older Adults
ISSN: 1471-7794
Article publication date: 24 October 2023
Issue publication date: 20 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The digital age requires people of all ages to communicate and organise their lives through digital technologies. The project EQualCare investigates how the growing population of older people living alone is managing this transition, how it shapes their (non-)digital social networks and what changes on a local level need to be brought about. This paper aims to give insight into the process of participatory action research (PAR) with older people in the community across four countries and reflects on experiences made by academic and co-researchers.
Design/methodology/approach
Following the emancipatory underpinnings of PAR, which aims to reduce inequalities through collaboration and co-design, EQualCare involved nine teams of co-researchers across Finland, Germany, Latvia and Sweden making older people the centre of policy development. Co-researchers were involved in formulating research aims, collecting data, reflecting on data, formulating and disseminating recommendations for local policy stakeholders.
Findings
Co-researchers’ motivation to invest considerable time and effort was driven by a desire to create a more equal future for older people living alone. Moreover, they were keen to involve marginalised older people and became frustrated when this proved difficult. Power dynamics played a role throughout the process but became productive as roles and responsibilities were renegotiated. Doing PAR with older people can be emotionally challenging for co-researchers when negative feelings around ageing are encountered.
Originality/value
The paper advances understanding on the process of PAR in ageing research by reflecting on the social, cultural and political contexts of doing PAR with diverse sets of older people.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Academy of Finland (345025); Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (16SV8701); Forskningsrådet om Hälsa, Arbetsliv och Välfärd (2020-01515); and Latvian Ministry of Education and Science and the European Development Fund (1.1.1.5/17/I/002).
In Latvia the project was supported by the European Union fund “Growth and employment” Action program 1.1.1. of the specific support objective “To increase the research and innovative capacity of Latvian scientific institutions and the ability to attract external funding by investing in human resources and infrastructure” 1.1.1.5., co-financed by the “Support for international cooperation projects in research and innovation” program initiative project “Alone but connected? Digital (in)equalities in care work and generational relationships among older people living alone (EQUalCare)”. Project contract no. 23-11.17e/21/201.
Citation
Leontowitsch, M., Putnina, A., Andersson, M., Niemistö, C., Werny, R., Sjögren, H., Mileiko, I., Lakševics, K., Pokšāns, A., Neikena, M., Orste, L., Malm, C., Oswald, F., Hearn, J. and Krekula, C. (2024), "Participatory action research on webs of caring in the digital age across four European countries", Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 21-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAOA-03-2023-0020
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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