Quality Concerns
Intergenerational Solidarity in the Light of Building Resilience in the Life Course View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Michał Taracha
Family support is highly relevant for individual, family and social resilience. Intergenerational solidarity, understood as the link between parents and children, constitutes a fundamental component of cohesive family relationships. There are several dimensions of intergenerational solidarity. One dimension, instrumental support (involving financial, emotional and physical assistance), is a subject of this study. Our first analytical approach addresses the financial and emotional support in the EU countries. We focused on private monetary and time transfers, using the national transfer accounts. We found that, starting from the working age, gender gap emerges, with men being net payers of private transfers. During retirement, the gender gap becomes smaller but persists. As regards country differences, Greece has the highest relative transfers paid by men in the working age. The second part of the analysis revolves around physical help. Based on the GGS-II data from 12 countries, the association between various resilience markers and intergenerational housework help was investigated using the two-level logistic regressions. We found that the share of people receiving intergenerational help decreases and the share of people providing help increases along with the regional social development level. Furthermore, medium or low education, lower life satisfaction, higher religiosity and worse physical and mental health seem to increase the likelihood of being a help receiver. Moreover, accounting for differences between respondents from 64 NUTS 1 and 2 regions indicated that men from highly developed regions (unlike those from less developed regions) are slightly more likely than women to be net providers of intergenerational help.
In Search of Correlates of a High Sense of Quality of Life in Older Adults
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ewelina Lapinska, Natalia Dudek, Agnieszka Sternak, Anna Cierpka
Numerous studies confirm the positive relationship between the sense of quality of life in older adults and their social networks. In this context, there is a gap in research regarding the role of psychological functions, such as mentalization and emotion regulation, in relationship-building during late adulthood. Few studies consider these within the context of existing social networks. A study was designed to analyze the relationships between the structure and function of older adults' social networks, their mentalization and emotion regulation levels, and their sense of quality of life. The aim was to fill a gap in the existing literature while also assessing whether mentalization serves as a protective factor in late adulthood. The study framework was developmental psychology. Using a quantitative methodology, the research employed questionnaire-based tools to measure quality of life, social networks, hypomentalization, and difficulties in emotion regulation. Data were collected through individual contact with participants, either at senior day care centers or in their own residences, and statistical analyses were performed after data transfer. One of the limitations of the study is the reliance on self-reported data. A statistically significant interaction effect was found, indicating a positive relationship between the level of social networks and the level of hypomentalization at low levels of emotion regulation difficulties, and a negative relationship at high levels. These findings suggest that emotion regulation difficulties moderate the relationship between the level of social network and mentalization, which reveals important implications for improving the well-being of older adults.
The Role of Social Play in Traditional Card Games: Impact on Loneliness and Well-Being Among Older Adults View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Mirkka Forssell
Playing cards is familiar to all age groups worldwide. There is limited literature comparing gender differences in motivational factors in social card games among older adults. Furthermore, the understanding of how social play and card games affect well-being and loneliness among older adults remains limited. Hence, this qualitative study examines the experiences of social play of 48 older adults, focusing on feelings of loneliness and well-being. The results show the positive effects of social play on the well-being of older adults and their perceived loneliness. This study explores the effects of social play on the well-being and experiences of loneliness among older adults who participate in traditional card game clubs. Utilizing the Uses and Gratifications Theory, the research investigates the underlying motivations for playing cards in social settings and examines gender-specific differences in these motivations. Data were collected through semi-structured surveys from 48 older adult card club players across Finland. The findings indicate that social play positively affects the well-being and reduces feelings of loneliness among older adults. Participants reported slight improvements in hand-eye coordination, memory, reaction rate, concentration, and perception. The study also reveals distinct motivational factors between genders, with male participants motivated by communality and competitiveness, while female participants are driven by brain exercise, fun, and social reinforcement. The results highlight the importance of social interaction and regularity in weekly activities for enhancing the well-being of older adults.
Featured Investigating Gaze Behaviour while Multitasking in Kitchen Spaces - a Study of Spatial Design while Ageing-in-Place
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sukesha Ghosh
Performing multiple tasks in a kitchen environment demands physical effort with cognitive abilities like physical strength along with focused attention and memory retention capabilities, which decline with age, presenting challenges for independent living. While the correlation between spatial design and human task performance is well-documented, there is limited understanding of how spatial design directly influences spatial activities among older adults. This study examines the gaze behavior of older adults (N=31, aged 65-81) across three compact kitchen typologies—single, double, and L-shaped—prevalent in urban Indian contexts. Statistical analysis with ANOVA and Pearson correlation was used to compare saccade duration, fixation duration, and fixation count to evaluate motor task performances. The findings highlight that spatial design highly influences aging behavioral strategies, impacting individual task efficiency. By comparing three kitchen typologies, the L-shaped kitchen platform demonstrated enhanced task efficiency and comfort while working. This study offers insights to the designers and behavioral researchers, establishing the importance of ergonomic kitchen designs in promoting usability and independence for aging populations.
