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CHAPTER THREE CONCEPTUALISATION OF OLD AGE
3.1 This chapter provides an overview of how old age was conceptualised by participants. Retirement was conceptualised as a time free from commitments (and not as a lost opportunity to contribute to society). The quality of this time was dependent on, in order of importance: health, money and social contact.
Freedom from work and family commitments
3.2 Participants conceptualised old age (or more specifically retirement) as a period free from work and family commitments in which they could participate in hobbies, spend time with grandchildren and go on holidays. This does not mean that everyone necessarily wanted to stop working, or not look after their grandchildren, but there was a sense that they thought they would have fewer responsibilities and would do things on their terms. There were no differences across the equalities strands (i.e. gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity, rurality, disability and social class) in terms of what participants wanted to do with their time in retirement. The following quote was typical:
When you come to the age of retiring, you know you won't be forced to do anything, you've - in some ways the point of retirement is it's your time, you've worked.
(Male, C2DE, 23-37, Dundee)
How old age is not conceptualised
3.3 One of the aims of the Strategy is to provide opportunities for older people to make a continuing contribution and remove the barriers to doing so. The Strategy will take a broad definition of 'contribution' and the Strategy consultation documents states:
Older people today contribute in many ways to Scottish society. For example they provide care for partners, parents, grandchildren, friends and relations. They might go to work, or be self-employed. They pay taxes and support the economy. They are consumers, buying goods and services, and supporting business. They are volunteers, giving their time and skills to communities and charities; and they are citizens, involved with friends, neighbours, families and communities. They have also contributed to society throughout their lives.
(Scottish Executive Consultation on the Strategy for a Scotland with an Ageing Population) 7
3.4 However, when asked about ways in which older people currently make a contribution or could make a contribution if barriers were removed, participants took a narrower definition of 'contribution' and focused very much on employment, volunteering, caring for grandchildren and, in particular, on the wisdom, experience and skills they could pass on to younger generations. There was almost no mention of contribution in terms of taxes, buying goods or services, or involvement with older friends or older neighbours.
3.5 Using participants' own, narrower definition of 'contribution' then, it is important to note that there was little sense that they felt old age was about making such a contribution - rather they felt that older people had "done their bit" and that old age was therefore their time to do as they pleased. This is not to say that participants thought older people were incapable of making this kind of contribution, or that the contribution they currently do make was completely unrecognised, but 'barriers' to contribution were not currently perceived as an issue. The barriers they perceived (e.g. poor health, lack of money, loneliness, inadequate services) were barriers to a fulfilling and enjoyable old age, not to making a contribution.
Health
3.6 When participants were asked what comes to mind when they think about getting older, many of their first thoughts were health-related. Not being able to do as much, physical and mental deterioration and needing to be looked after were all mentioned by participants younger than the state pension age. Female participants, in particular, were worried about being a burden on their families.
3.7 Throughout the discussions, participants of all ages suggested that quality of life in old age is very much dependent on good health. Old age was seen as a positive thing if you have your health and are able to do things - but as a much more negative period if you are limited by ill-health. The following quote sums up the attitude of many participants:
It's all dependent on your health really. I suppose how negative you are. If you envisage being healthy and retiring, it'll be good, you've got time for all that but if you've got bad health… then the negative side.
(ABC1, 33-57, Jedburgh)
3.8 Moreover, 'old age' was, at times, defined by levels of health and fitness, with some saying that it is difficult to group older people as health has a greater impact on quality of life than chronological age. For example:
Again I think it depends on your mobility, your health, you know, you can have a very fit and healthy 70 year old.
(ABC1, 33-57, Jedburgh)
Money
3.9 Finances, and in particular pensions, were among the most common first thoughts voiced by younger participants when asked to think about getting older. There was considerable concern surrounding the future of both state and private pensions and the possibility of having to work longer because they will not be able to afford to retire when they want, as one participant expressed:
The only thing that really worries us is that by the time we get older the government will have stepped in and completely stopped the government pension and you know how like at the moment people have got free bus travel and all the rest of it. By the time I get older that's all going to be over.
(Female, C2DE, 23-37, Disabled, Dundee)
3.10 In contrast, those already retired tended not to mention money when asked what 'old age' and 'ageing' meant to them.
3.11 In a similar way to health, although to a lesser extent, money was seen as an important factor in defining quality of life in old age. For example, having enough money to be able to travel or buy a house after working for years was mentioned by some. Again, concern about not having enough money to take advantage of the free time came from those who were still working rather than those already retired but other than this there did not appear to be any other differences across the equality strands. The participant quoted below made the point that money worries exist all through life - but are more of an issue in old age as people have less opportunity to earn money:
Obviously your money doesn't make you happy, but it makes a lot of things a darn sight easier, and that's no different - that's probably more so when you're old, but it comes right through your life…and you've probably less capacity to earn when you're older so that's why you need to be fairly secure in what you've actually got.
(ABC1, 33-57, Jedburgh)
The potential for loneliness
3.12 While a 'good old age' could be had if you have health and sufficient money, a more negative association with ageing was the potential for loneliness. Freedom from work and family commitments might come at a price, with some participants mentioning that they were not looking forward to living alone. For example:
…you've got a house full of kids and maybe 10, 15 years down the line, the children will all make up their own lives and go their own ways and then all of a sudden, your house is deathly quiet, I'm not looking forward to that at all. I think loneliness is another thing.
(Female, C2DE, 33-57, Asian, Glasgow)
3.13 In terms of first thoughts about getting older, loneliness was much less dominant than either health or money. However, as the following extract exemplifies, LGBT participants focused more on this issue, possibly as they are less likely to have children but also because the gay 'scene' was perceived as being youth-centred or even ageist:
A bit on the negative side I think about when you're getting older is if you've not got a family.
…It absolutely terrifies me the thought of being on my own and old. I have to be honest about that, and I do think about that a lot. Specially with not having kids, you know, and at the moment I don't have a partner either.
(33-57, LGBT, Edinburgh)
3.14 Older participants were also more likely to see loneliness as having a major influence on happiness in old age. They referred, in particular, to the presence or absence of a partner being important, with some commenting that retirement had been a very different, and more positive, time when their partner had been alive. The following participants explained their feelings:
Well the first part of retiral was what I expected it to be but my wife died 12 years ago almost and that's changed life altogether. I mean I feel retirement is very difficult on your own…It's alright when the two of you are together. Having been 50 years married and then all of a sudden you lose your wife.
(Male, 85+, Edinburgh)
Well actually I was looking forward to the likes of my husband, going places in the car, going places where we hadn't been before because we both liked looking at older buildings, historical things, where battles had been fought. All that sort of thing. But it just wasn't to be.
(Female, 55-69, Disabled, Jedburgh)
Summary of key points
- Old age, or retirement, was primarily seen as a time free of work and family commitments - leisure time when you could go on holidays, spend time with grandchildren and pursue hobbies.
- The quality of this leisure time was dependent on three main factors, in order of importance: health, money and social contact.
- One of the aims of the Strategy is to provide opportunities for older people to make a continuing contribution and remove the barriers to doing so. The Strategy will take a broad definition of 'contribution', including the payment of taxes, buying goods and services and involvement with friends and neighbours - as well as working and volunteering. However, participants took a narrower definition of 'contribution' and focused very much on employment, volunteering, caring for grandchildren and, in particular, on the wisdom, experience and skills they could pass on to younger generations. Using participants' own, narrower definition of 'contribution' then, it is important to note that there was little sense that they felt old age is about making such a contribution - rather they felt that older people have "done their bit" and that old age is therefore their time to do as they please.
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