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1 – 8 of 8Carin Holmquist and Elisabeth Sundin
The aim of this article is to discuss how age and entrepreneurship interact in the specific case of older (50+) entrepreneurs. Building on theories on entrepreneurship and…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this article is to discuss how age and entrepreneurship interact in the specific case of older (50+) entrepreneurs. Building on theories on entrepreneurship and theories on age and aging, the authors’ focus is on how such entrepreneurs relate to the building and running of a business organization. The authors discuss how entrepreneurship among the elderly plays out and how older entrepreneurs relate to the narratives on both age and entrepreneurship.
Design/methodology/approach
This research comprises quantitative as well as qualitative studies. The authors show that qualitative methods that unfold the process over time are necessary and essential to fully understand how and why entrepreneurs start their own business and/or continue to run it at older ages.
Findings
The authors find that the choice to become an entrepreneur at the age of 50+ (or to stay as one) is not a goal in itself, becoming an entrepreneur is a means to stay active in the labor market.
Originality/value
The study findings add to entrepreneurship theory by insights on the link between entrepreneurship and the labor market where the authors argue that becoming an entrepreneur at ages 50+ might be more a question of choice of organizational form than a question on a way of living or occupation. The authors also contribute to theories on age by showing that entrepreneurs aged 50+ choose entrepreneurship as a means to be able to stay in the labor market.
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Recent public health policy emphasizes the achievement of healthy aging as average life expectancy increases worldwide. Evidence for healthy aging from low- and middle-income…
Abstract
Purpose
Recent public health policy emphasizes the achievement of healthy aging as average life expectancy increases worldwide. Evidence for healthy aging from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is limited. The purpose of this paper is to assess the prospects of healthy aging and its associated factors in the Indian context.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was based on a national-level panel survey, the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) conducted in 2004-05 and 2011-12. The analytical sample consists of 10,218 elderly individuals who were 60 years old and above at the baseline. Change in health status was assessed based on disability and disease incidence at the follow-up. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) model was performed to assess health status change.
Findings
Increasing age was a risk factor for all dimensions of health outcomes. Elderly from the lowest wealth quintiles were more likely to lose health due to short-term morbidity, whereas the highest wealth quintiles were more likely to lose health due to long-term and multi-morbidity, indicating evidence for the presence of the “disease of affluence”. Social capital, such as living in a joint family acted as a protective factor against health risks.
Originality/value
With the results showing the evidence of the “disease of affluence” and “disease of poverty” in different health outcomes, there should be a health policy focus that copes with undergoing epidemiological transition. It is also important to pay attention to health-protecting factors such as social and familial support to achieve healthy aging.
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Tarja Römer-Paakkanen and Pirjo Takanen-Körperich
This study investigates how older women linguists' careers developed and led to self-employment, and this not necessarily in a linear career stage fashion. The focus is on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates how older women linguists' careers developed and led to self-employment, and this not necessarily in a linear career stage fashion. The focus is on understanding the factors that influence older women to become or continue into an entrepreneurship lifestyle, beyond economic reasons.
Design/methodology/approach
The research questions that guided this research are: (1) How have women linguists' careers developed at older or older old age? and (2) Which factors influenced women linguists' decision to become or continue as self-employed at older or older old age? This study is based on semi-structure interviews and short narratives written by ten informants about their late-career motivations and decisions. To get a holistic view of career development of women linguistics at an older age, the approach adopted in this study is explorative and interpretive, where the theoretical perspective supporting this approach derives mainly from career and wellbeing theories.
Findings
The authors’ findings signal that these self-employed older women's careers develop along parallel, explorative or expertise directions. The factors which appear to influence these women's decision to continue their careers as entrepreneurs include economic reasons (having), clearly. They also importantly point to other themes surrounding wellbeing including social relations (loving), self-realization and lifelong learning (being), entrepreneurship as a life style (acting) and meaningful extension of one's career (belonging).
Originality/value
This paper discusses how older women entrepreneurs may experience wellbeing and careers integrated together. It challenges the common notion of “career” as a one-time, linear “choice”, and instead shows how older women's entrepreneurship is a complex phenomenon.
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Elsie Yan, Haze K.L. Ng, Rongwei Sun, Daniel W.L. Lai, Sheung-Tak Cheng, Vivian W.Q. Lou, Daniel Y.T. Fong and Timothy Kwok
This study aims to explore the risk and protective factors of abuse on older adults by family caregivers, with a special focus on the protective role of caregiver resilience in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the risk and protective factors of abuse on older adults by family caregivers, with a special focus on the protective role of caregiver resilience in elder abuse.
Design/methodology/approach
This cross-sectional survey was conducted on a purposive sample of 600 family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong (mean age = 71.04 and female = 67.2%). Caregivers reported in a guided interview about elder abuse behaviours, caregiver burden, care recipients’ agitated behaviours, caregiver resilience, self-efficacy, social support and basic demographic characteristics. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the predictors of different forms of elder abuse.
Findings
Caregiver resilience was predictive of lower levels of verbal abuse, physical abuse, injury and financial exploitation but not potentially harmful behaviour (PHB). Social support was independent with all forms of elder abuse, while self-efficacy predicted greater physical abuse after the adjustment of confounding variables. Caregiver burden and agitated behaviours by care recipients remained as significant risk factors in the final models when protective factors were considered.
Research limitations/implications
This study extends current knowledge on the protecting role of resilience in elder abuse in family caregiving. Mixed findings revealed on social support and self-efficacy also highlight the complexity of the prediction of caregiver abuse. Further research should address this area.
Practical implications
The findings of this study warrant the inclusion of caregiver resilience as a key component in developing interventions to prevent elder abuse. Addressing caregiver burden and agitated behaviours have the potential in preventing elder abuse.
Social implications
The findings raise awareness of the importance of supporting caregivers in the community to prevent elder abuse.
Originality/value
Research concerning the protective factors of elder abuse is in a preliminary stage. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first which successfully demonstrates the protective role of resilience in caregiver abuse on older adults. The findings shed invaluable light on the design of effective interventions.
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Gill Mein, Taha Bhatti, Sarah Bailey, Claire J. Steves, Deborah Hart, Paz Garcia and Anthea Tinker
A decline in participation in research studies as people age is inevitable as health declines. This paper aims to address this by collecting data from a group of participants to…
Abstract
Purpose
A decline in participation in research studies as people age is inevitable as health declines. This paper aims to address this by collecting data from a group of participants to examine their reasons for declining attendance and suggestions for maintaining attendance as participants age.
Design/methodology/approach
This research used a postal self-completed questionnaire including open and closed questions. The questionnaire was sent to those participants who have declined to attend further clinic visits. Results were analysed using thematic content analysis.
Findings
The study had a 51% response rate. Participants reported difficulty with travelling to the clinic, and health as the main issues in addition to family demands and a lack of understanding regarding the continuing participation of a singleton twin.
Research limitations/implications
This study could only include data from responding participants, answers to open question also included comments from participants regarding their twin.
Practical implications
An anonymous questionnaire was sent to all individuals in the Keeping Together project. It was therefore not possible to identify if responses were from both members of a twin pair.
Originality/value
Maintaining participation in longitudinal studies is of crucial importance to enhance the value of data. Retention of participants in studies may change as people age and health becomes impaired. Suggestions for maintaining and improving the retention of older participants have been identified and are generalisable to other longitudinal studies of ageing.
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Tine Buffel, Patty Doran, Mhorag Goff, Luciana Lang, Camilla Lewis, Chris Phillipson and Sophie Yarker
This paper aims to explore the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on issues facing older people living in urban areas characterised by multiple deprivation.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on issues facing older people living in urban areas characterised by multiple deprivation.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper first reviews the role of place and neighbourhood in later life; second, it examines the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and the impact of COVID-19; and, third, it outlines the basis for an “age-friendly” recovery strategy.
Findings
The paper argues that COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact on low-income communities, which have already been affected by cuts to public services, the loss of social infrastructure and pressures on the voluntary sector. It highlights the need for community-based interventions to be developed as an essential part of future policies designed to tackle the effects of COVID-19.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to debates about developing COVID-19 recovery strategies in the context of growing inequalities affecting urban neighbourhoods.
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Meals on Wheels (MOW) support older people to live in their own homes and communities. The purpose of this paper is to explore MOW experiences from a multi-stakeholder level to…
Abstract
Purpose
Meals on Wheels (MOW) support older people to live in their own homes and communities. The purpose of this paper is to explore MOW experiences from a multi-stakeholder level to inform and better equip this valuable service.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was undertaken utilising semi-structured interviews and focus groups with current, former and potential MOW service users and MOW stakeholders.
Findings
Qualitative analysis explored MOW perspectives and experiences, highlighting a lack of MOW information and awareness, the importance of a client-centred approach the multiple roles of MOW and service transition.
Originality/value
This research explores MOW from the perspective of different groups directly involved in this community service, offering unique multi-stakeholder insights to understand and guide the future of this service.
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Isto Huvila, Åsa Cajander, Jonas Moll, Heidi Enwald, Kristina Eriksson-Backa and Hanife Rexhepi
Data from a national patient survey (N = 1,155) of the Swedish PAEHR “Journalen” users were analysed, and an extended version of the theory of technological frames was developed…
Abstract
Purpose
Data from a national patient survey (N = 1,155) of the Swedish PAEHR “Journalen” users were analysed, and an extended version of the theory of technological frames was developed to explain the variation in the technological and informational framing of information technologies found in the data.
Design/methodology/approach
Patient Accessible Electronic Health Records (PAEHRs) are implemented globally to address challenges with an ageing population. However, firstly, little is known about age-related variation in PAEHR use, and secondly, user perceptions of the PAEHR technology and the health record information and how the technology and information–related perceptions are linked to each other. The purpose of this study is to investigate these two under-studied aspects of PAEHRs and propose a framework based on the theory of technological frames to support studying the second aspect, i.e. the interplay of information and technology–related perceptions.
Findings
The results suggest that younger respondents were more likely to be interested in PAEHR contents for general interest. However, they did not value online access to the information as high as older ones. Older respondents were instead inclined to use medical records information to understand their health condition, prepare for visits, become involved in their own healthcare and think that technology has a much potential. Moreover, the oldest respondents were more likely to consider the information in PAEHRs useful and aimed for them but to experience the technology as inherently difficult to use.
Research limitations/implications
The sample excludes non-users and is not a representative sample of the population of Sweden. However, although the data contain an unknown bias, there are no specific reasons to believe that it would differently affect the survey's age groups.
Practical implications
Age should be taken into account as a key factor that influences perceptions of the usefulness of PAEHRs. It is also crucial to consider separately patients' views of PAEHRs as a technology and of the information contained in the EHR when developing and evaluating existing and future systems and information provision for patients.
Social implications
This study contributes to bridging the gap between information behaviour and systems design research by showing how the theory of technological frames complemented with parallel informational frames to provide a potentially powerful framework for elucidating distinct conceptualisations of (information) technologies and the information they mediate. The empirical findings show how information and information technology needs relating to PAEHRs vary according to age. In contrast to the assumptions in much of the earlier work, they need to be addressed separately.
Originality/value
Few earlier studies focus on (1) age-related variation in PAEHR use and (2) user perceptions of the PAEHR technology and the health record information and how the technology and information–related perceptions are linked to each other.
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