Alleinlebende Männer im Alter

Die deutlich steigende Zahl alleinlebender Männer im Alter ist ein historisch neues Phänomen, das nicht nur auf strukturelle Veränderungen in der Bevölkerung älterer Menschen verweist, sondern gleichzeitig auch Ausdruck der allgegenwärtigen Destandardisierung von Lebensläufen ist: Für die Lebenssituation des Alleinlebens als Mann im Alter, sei es bedingt durch unterschiedliche Familienstandsformen (z.B. Verwitwung, Scheidung im mittleren Lebensalter, lebenslanger Ledigen-Status) oder durch neue Beziehungsstile (z.B. LAT: living apart together), gibt es nur wenige Vorbilder und Orientierungsmuster. Zudem deutet die Forschung zu Gender und Alter(n) darauf hin, dass durch den Übergang in die nachberufliche Zeit, Verluste und Auflösungen von (ehelicher) Partnerschaft sowie den Rückzug in den (weiblich konnotierten) häuslichen Bereich die Konstruktion von (hegemonialen) Männlichkeiten bedroht ist. Hieraus ergeben sich mehrere Fragen: Wie gehen alleinlebende Männer mit dieser Form der Singularität um? Was bedeutet das für ihre Konstruktion von Männlichkeit im Alter? Wie kommen Singularität und Männlichkeitskonstruktion in ihren Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten und -erfordernissen zum Ausdruck. Der Beitrag stellt Ergebnisse aus der Pilotstudie ALMA (Alleinlebende Männer im Alter in der Stadt Frankfurt am Main) vor, in der narrative Interviews mit vier – in Bezug auf Bildung, Einkommen, soziale Eingebundenheit und sexuelle Orientierung – unterschiedlich alleinlebenden Männern im Alter von 67 bis 89 Jahren durchgeführt wurden. Die erhobenen Daten wurden mit der Grounded Theory und Situational Analysis interpretiert, um biographische, zeithistorische, diskursive sowie andere, ‚non-human‘ Einflussgrößen erfassen zu können. Die Datenanalyse deutet an, dass sich die Konstruktion von Männlichkeiten entlang eines Spektrums zwischen traditionell hegemonialer und alternativ nicht-hegemonialer Varianten bewegt. Ausschlaggebend für die jeweilige Positionierung sind der Umgang mit Tätigkeiten, die sich durch das Alleinleben ergeben, mit Beziehungen zu ‚signifikanten‘ Menschen im engeren und weiteren sozialen Umfeld sowie dem Umgang mit körperlichen Veränderungen. Diese Ergebnisse unterstützen die These, dass Alter als ein Feld ‚neuer Männlichkeiten’ konturiert werden kann

Lessons learned from the London Exercise and Pregnant (LEAP) Smokers randomised controlled trial process evaluation : implications for the design of physical activity for smoking cessation interventions during pregnancy

BACKGROUND: The challenges of delivering interventions for pregnant smokers have been poorly documented. Also, the process of promoting a physical activity intervention for pregnant smokers has not been previously recorded. This study describes the experiences of researchers conducting a randomised controlled trial of physical activity as an aid to smoking cessation during pregnancy and explores how the effectiveness of future interventions could be improved. METHODS: Two focus groups, with independent facilitators, were conducted with six researchers who had enrolled pregnant smokers in the LEAP trial, provided the interventions, and administered the research measures. Topics included recruitment, retention and how the physical activity intervention for pregnant smokers was delivered and how it was adapted when necessary to suit the women. The focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five themes emerged related to barriers or enablers to intervention delivery: (1) nature of the intervention; (2) personal characteristics of trial participants; (3) practical issues; (4) researchers' engagement with participants; (5) training and support needs. Researchers perceived that participants may have been deterred by the intensive and generic nature of the intervention and the need to simultaneously quit smoking and increase physical activity. Women also appeared hampered by pregnancy ailments, social deprivation, and poor mental health. Researchers observed that their status as health professionals was valued by participants but it was challenging to maintain contact with participants. Training and support needs were identified for dealing with pregnant teenagers, participants' friends and family, and post-natal return to smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Future exercise interventions for smoking cessation in pregnancy may benefit by increased tailoring of the intervention to the characteristics of the women, including their psychological profile, socio-economic background, pregnancy ailments and exercise preferences. Delivering an effective physical activity intervention for smoking cessation in pregnancy may require more comprehensive training for those delivering the intervention, particularly with regard to dealing with teenage smokers and smokers' friends and family, as well as for avoiding post-natal return to smoking. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN48600346 , date of registration: 21/07/2008

The role of empowerment and agency in the lives of older men living alone

Longevity and changes in family status are leading to a growing number of men living alone in later life. They are often considered an at risk group in terms of deprivation, suicide and mental health problems, a perspective that has informed community services. This paper reports on a study that set out to get a better understanding of this historically new group, particularly in light of significant structural and cultural changes to later life and ageing. The study used interviews with stakeholders and biographical interviews with older men living alone in Frankfurt/Main, a city with a particularly high rate of men over 65 in single occupancy households. The analysis suggests that service providers were interested in encouraging men to recognise and act on their needs, an approach informed by empowerment as well as active ageing strategies. The analysis from the biographical data shows that living alone was a learning process and involved the ability for men to care for themselves as well as others. Learning to live alone enabled them to maintain an identity as an independent individual. (DIPF/Orig.

EQualCare Policy Report Germany : Alone but connected? Digital (in)equalities in care work and generational relationships among older people living alone

The policy review is part of the project EQualCare: Alone but connected? Digital (in)equalities in care work and generational relationships among older people living alone, a three-year international project involving four countries: Finland, Germany, Latvia and Sweden. EQualCare interrogates inequalities by gender, cultural and socio-economic background between countries, with their different demographics and policy backgrounds. As a first step into empirical analysis, the policy review aims to set the stage for a better understanding of, and policy development on, the intersections of digitalisation with intergenerational care work and care relationships of older people living alone in Germany. The policy review follows a critical approach, in which the problems policy documents address are not considered objective entities, but rather discursively produced knowledge that renders visible some parts of the problem which is to be solved as other possible perspectives are simultaneously excluded. Twenty publicly available documents were studied to analyse the processes in which definitions of care work and digital (in)equalities are circulated, translated and negotiated between the different levels of national government, regional governments and municipalities as well as other agencies in Germany. The policy review consists of two parts: a background chapter providing information on the social structure of Germany, including the historical development of Germany after the Second World War, its political structure, information on the demographic situation with a focus on the 60+ age group, and the income of this age group. In addition, the background presents the structure of work and welfare, the organisation of care for old people, and the state of digitalisation in Germany. The analysis chapter includes a description of the method used as well as an overview of the documents chosen and analysed. The focus of this chapter is on the analysis of official documents that deal with the interplay of living alone in old age, care, and digitalisation. The analysis identified four themes: firstly, ageing is framed largely as a challenge to society, whereas digitalisation is framed as a potential way to tackle social challenges, such as an ageing society. Secondly, challenges of ageing, such as need of care, are set at the individual level, requiring people to organise their care within their own families and immediate social networks, with state support following a principle of subsidiarity. Thirdly, voluntary peer support provides the basis for addressing digital support needs and strategies. Publications by lobby organisations highlight the important work done by voluntary peer support for digital training and the benefits this approach has; they also draw attention to the over-reliance on this form of unpaid support and call for an increase in professional support in ensuring all older people are supported in digital life. Fourthly, ageing as a hinderance to participation in digital life is seen as an interim challenge among younger old people already online. In summary, the analysis shows that the connection between ageing and digitalisation remains a marginal topic in current politics. The focus on older people merely as a potential group at risk of being left behind implies a deficit perspective on ageing and a homogenising of a large and diverse age group. Lessons learnt from the pandemic should not be interpreted in a one-sided way, by merely acknowledging the increasing number of (older) people moving online, but by acknowledging intersecting inequalities that mitigate social participation

HealthKnowledge Public Health Textbook - Research Methods

'Research methods appropriate to public health practice, including epidemiology, statistical methods and other methods of enquiry including qualitative research methods', and is part of the 'Public Health Textbook' which can be accessed as an online resource. It covers some of the public health skills and competencies and has been organised in relation to the Faculty of Public Health Part A membership examination syllabus.