Martine Lagacé

A New Approach to the Link between Identity and Relative Deprivation in the Perspective of Ageism and Retirement

Although the work force is aging, views regarding older workers remain negative. As a result, complaints of discrimination on the basis of age have increased. This situation prompts the following questions: what leads aging workers to acknowledge disparities between younger workers and themselves, and what are the consequences for aging workers of integrating into their self-image some of the characteristics commonly associated with their cohort? These questions are examined in light of a new approach to the link between identity and relative deprivation. The following hypotheses were included in a predictive model: the more individuals include characteristics of their group into their self-descriptions, the more they experience personal deprivation when comparing their own situation to that of younger workers. These feelings, in turn, affect them during retirement in terms of lowered self-esteem and decreased satisfaction with their life. This model was tested among 149 young retirees. Hypotheses were confirmed, and it was shown that end-of-career experiences have an impact on the situation of young retirees. The more individuals integrated characteristics of aging workers, the more they felt personally deprived as a result of invidious comparisons with young co-workers. The latter also had a negative impact on self-esteem and life satisfaction. Implications of results and new avenues of research are discussed herein.

Shielding self-esteem through the adoption of psychological disengagement mechanisms: the good and the bad news.

The fact that Canadas working population is aging and will continue to do so is no surprise to anyone. What is surprising though is what many of these aging workers are experiencing in the late years of their career: They continue to be the target of negative stereotypes which in turn, reinforce discrimination and marginalization practices. The present study was aimed at understanding the consequences of differential treatment based on age (measured by relative deprivation) from the theoretical perspective of psychological disengagement. A total of 117 Canadian civil servants over the age of 45 participated in this study. According to hypotheses, it was found that feelings of relative deprivation were associated with discounting which in turn led to a decrease in self-esteem. This chain of reactions generated instabilities, fluctuations in self-esteem and through this, questioned the protective role of psychological disengagement. It is only by devaluing their non-prestigious domain of activity that participants seemed to regain stability of their self-esteem. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.

La santé en péril : répercussions de la communication âgiste sur le désengagement psychologique et l'estime de soi des infirmiers de 45 ans et plus

In response to the contradictions appearing between, on the one hand, government promotion of family caregiving for elderly parents and, on the other, the rise of autonomist values (as documented in the literature), we surveyed a number of elderly people living with disabilities about the kind of assistance they would like to receive. The present qualitative, thematic analysis is based on the accounts given by 19 elderly people who receive assistance. The findings show that the position of elderly people with respect to their desire to receive (or not receive) substantial assistance from their family rests on a set of values, wishes, and/or fears - including, particularly, adherence to the value of autonomy, the desire to respect freedom (ones own as well as that of others), adherence to norms of familial duty, attachment to ones home, the value placed on solitude and privacy, and the degree of emotional closeness between the elderly and their children. Access to quality formal services also stands out as a factor enabling elderly people to actualize the desire for care which they elicited within the framework of this analysis.

Cultural Perceptions of Aging: The Perspective of Somali Canadians in Ottawa

Somalis currently constitute the largest Sub-Saharan community in Canada and as such have greatly contributed to the transformation of the immigrant population of this country. Although there is a growing body of research on the Somali community in Canada, the question of how the first generation of Somali Canadians experiences aging and transmits its values and attitudes in this regard to younger generations has yet to be explored. The goal of the present study is precisely to understand how male and female Somali seniors living in Canada perceive and experience aging from a cross-cultural perspective. A total of 17 Somali elders (9 women and 8 men) took part in two focus group discussions. Results of the interpretative content analysis revealed that, regardless of the cultural context, both Somali men and women foster quite a positive view of the notion of aging. However, as Somali migrants, men were more critical than women in regards to the challenges of aging in Canada. Results are discussed in light of previous studies on aging, ageism and culture.

À mots couverts: le regard des aînés et des soignants sur la communication quotidienne et ses manifestations d’âgisme implicite

The aim of this exploratory study was to better understand interpersonal communication between frail elders and caregivers in the context of long-term care giving. In addition, in light of the Communication Accommodation Theory, the goal was to determine the extent to which communication can be a transmitter of ageism, particularly of implicit ageism. A total of 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted among elders and caregivers of a Quebec long-term care facility. Results suggest a close convergence between the perception of seniors and caregivers in regards to a quasi total absence of daily communication and moreover, in regards to the highly instrumental nature of this same communication. Finally, results of the content analysis also suggest that implicit ageism is indeed reflected in interpersonal communication between frail elders and caregivers.

L'invisible qui blesse: une étude traitant de la gestion des conflits et de l'équité en emploi dans le cas des minorités visibles au Canada

This study investigates, among companies covered by the Canada Employment Equity Act, the hidden side of numerical progress of visible minorities achieved through the implementation of employment equity plans. More specifically, the purpose of this study is to determine whether companies with the best perfor mance in terms of the act have recognized the potential for conflict associated with the integration of visible minorities through employment equity plans and if so, have put in place conflict resolution strategies. To reach our goals, a survey was carried out among the best performing companies in terms of the act. Moreover, two focus groups were conducted among representatives of visible minorities and of the companies. The data gathered shows that both the representatives of companies and of visible minorities identified situations of intra- and inter-ethnic conflicts as well as resolution measures. The discussion highlights the fact that the changes resulting from employment equity legislation have not yet reached their limits, and underlines the importance of acknowledging conflict in attaining the ultimate goal of the act: lasting employment equity.