Rodrigo Serrat

What Happens in Their Bedrooms Stays in Their Bedrooms: Staff and Residents' Reactions Toward Male–Female Sexual Intercourse in Residential Aged Care Facilities

This study aimed to investigate and compare the reactions of staff and residents of residential aged care facilities (RACFs) toward male–female sexual intercourse taking place in a private space within the facility. A total of 53 professionals and 47 residents from five RACFs located in Catalonia, Spain, were asked to reflect upon what they would think and do if they entered the bedroom of a resident and found him or her having sex with another resident of the opposite gender. The results suggest that male–female partnered sexual activity would generally be considered acceptable and would be respected, although some respondents called into question the appropriateness of such behavior and stated that they would react in a restrictive way. Overall, professionals appeared to be more accepting and permissive than were residents. Although our findings are broadly optimistic, they also suggest that male–female sexual intercourse may be considered an unwelcome sexual practice by some residents and professionals even if it occurs in a private space within the RACF. The fact that both staff and residents may also react in a negative way to the event could constitute a barrier to sexual expression among institutionalized older people.

Barriers to the retention of older participants in political organisations: evidence from Spain

ABSTRACT It has been argued that older peoples civic engagement has benefits for both individuals themselves and the community more broadly. Removing barriers to participation is, therefore, essential. However, the multi-dimensional nature of civic participation, as well as the different issues raised by recruitment and retention, complicate this. This study explores the barriers to retention of Spanish older people in political organisations, as one important type of participation that has received little attention in the literature to date. A total of 192 people aged 65 and over and actively engaged in three kinds of political organisation participated in this study. Participants answered an open-ended question regarding perceived barriers to continued involvement. Results show a range of reasons for potential future disengagement from political organisations. These barriers fit into three overarching categories related to changes in means, motives or the opportunity context for participation. Means-related barriers were by far the most frequently identified type of barrier. Both the type of organisation and some socio-demographic and participatory characteristics have an impact on the reasons respondents indicated they may potentially stop participating in future. Results suggest the necessity of a more nuanced and multi-faceted approach to understanding barriers to participation. Particularly, the development of retention strategies by political organisations should take into account the specific characteristics of the individuals and organisations they are targeting.

As Long as They Keep Away From Me: Attitudes Toward Non-heterosexual Sexual Orientation Among Residents Living in Spanish Residential Aged Care Facilities

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this article is to shed light on the attitudes of older people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) toward non-heterosexual sexual orientation. DESIGN AND METHODS Forty-seven residents living in 5 RACFs located in Catalonia (Spain) were interviewed in relation to the way they would think and react if another resident told them he/she felt sexually attracted to people of the same gender and that he/she had maintained sexual relationships with another man/woman in the home, and whether they would have any problem in sharing common spaces or a room with this resident. RESULTS Most residents expressed some kind of negative reaction ranging from staying away from the resident in question to extreme rejection, although positive and neutral reactions also emerged. Participants were far more reluctant to share a room with that resident than to share common spaces. IMPLICATIONS The prevalence of homophobic attitudes among older people living in RACFs seems to be high. This may be a barrier for LGB residents, making the expression of their sexual identity more difficult and leading to discriminatory practices.

Learning Through Political Participation A Case Study of Spanish Elders Involved in Political Organizations

Older people’s civic participation contributes to community development while at the same time providing opportunities for personal growth in later life. One important dimension of civic participation that has been largely underexplored is informal learning. The aim of this study is to explore the learnings experienced by Spanish older people through their participation in political organizations as one important type of participation that has received little attention in the literature to date. A total of 192 people aged 65 years and older and actively engaged in three kinds of political organizations participated in the study. Participants answered an open-ended question regarding learnings through political participation. Results show a range of informal learnings, relating to social, political, or instrumental domains. Both the type of organization and some sociodemographic and participatory characteristics are associated with the type of learnings experienced by participants. Implications for political organizations are discussed.

Staff Reactions Toward Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual (LGB) People Living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) Who Actively Disclose Their Sexual Orientation

Fifty-three staff members currently working in residential aged care facilities located in Barcelona, Spain, were asked about the way they would react if a resident told them that he or she felt sexually attracted and had maintained sexual relationships with another resident of the same gender. Acceptance of non-heterosexual sexual orientation was a frequent answer, and around one in four professionals stated that they would try helping the resident in question, by offering a private space or giving some emotional support. However, some reactions were not consistent with a respectful approach toward sexual diversity, as, for instance, informing the resident’s family or advising the resident to keep his or her sexual orientation hidden. We highlight the importance of developing formal policies and offering formal training to staff in order to address the specific needs of older LGB people living in RACFs.

Motivation and Commitment to Volunteering in a Sample of Argentinian Adults: What is the Role of Generativity?

This study explores the motivations and commitment to volunteering in a sample of Argentinian adults, and it analyzes the role of generativity. The sample consisted of 200 volunteers who were purposively selected from five volunteer organizations in the city of Córdoba (Argentina). Participants were assigned to three age groups: young volunteers (18–39 years old), middle-aged volunteers (40–59 years old), and older volunteers (60 or plus years old). The motivations of “values” and “understanding” obtained the highest scores. No relevant differences were found between age groups in the motivations and commitment to volunteering. Generative concern showed more predictive value for motivations and commitment to volunteering than any of the sociodemographic variables considered in the study. The results are discussed at the light of considering volunteering as an expression of generativity in different stages of the life cycle.

A Field in Search of Concepts: The Relevance of Generativity to Understanding Intergenerational Relationships

Intergenerational relationships are increasingly recognized as an important field of practice and research. However, it has been argued that appropriate concepts and theories are still required to guide and consolidate the discipline. Although a number of concepts borrowed from the social sciences have been used with some success thus far, few attempts have been made to conceptualize intergenerational relationships from a psychological and developmental perspective. This article explores the usefulness of the Eriksonian concept of generativity as a framework for understanding intergenerational relationships. We describe the contribution of generativity to the intergenerational field and we explore the prospects, limitations, and potential of this contribution.

Staff members’ perceived training needs regarding sexuality in residential aged care facilities

ABSTRACT The purpose of the article is to ascertain if staff members of residential aged care facilities (RACF) perceive the need for training regarding residents’ sexuality, and what, if any, benefits from the training were perceived, and to compare perceived benefits of training between care assistants and professional/managerial staff. Interviews were conducted with 53 staff members of five different RACF in Spain. Their responses to two semistructured questions were transcribed verbatim and submitted to content analysis. Results show that most interviewees said they lacked training about sexuality and aging. Two potential highlighted benefits of the training are knowledge/attitudinal (countering negative attitudes regarding sexuality) and procedural (developing common protocols and tools to manage situations related to sexuality). Care assistants and professional staff agreed on the need for training, though the former emphasized the procedural impact and the latter the knowledge/attitudinal benefits. The results suggest that RACF staff should have an opportunity to receive training on residents’ sexuality, as sexual interest and behavior is a key dimension of residents’ lives.

Barriers to older people’s participation in local governance: the impact of diversity

ABSTRACT Creating opportunities for inclusive participation by older people in local governance is made more complex by their diversity, which can shape who participates, in what ways, and how effectively. The existing research, however, largely focuses on the impact of socio-demographic characteristics or of individual barriers on participation, without considering how interactions between these may shape pathways to participation among older people. This quantitative study explored the relationships between participation by older people, barriers to participation, and socio-demographic characteristics. The results indicate that socio-demographic diversity impacts on the importance attributed to barriers as well as the strength and direction of their relationships with participation. The findings problematize the dominant approaches to understanding barriers to and patterns in participation. A more sophisticated understanding of inclusive governance in ageing communities needs to consider the iterative and interactional nature of pathways to participation in the context of the complexity of the “older population.”

Encouraging Older People to Continue Participating in Civil Society Organizations: A Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework

The participation of older people in civil society organizations has received considerable attention in recent years due to its potential for contributing to the health and well-being of the individuals concerned and also for creating social and economic benefits for the community. However, much of the previous literature has focused on human and social capital predictors of participation and on individuals’ motivations for joining organizations or the barriers to their entry; far less attention has been paid to the reasons why people stop participating once they have begun. The study of this issue is fundamental for the sustainability of organizations in the future, as it will allow the design of strategies to promote continued participation among older people. In this chapter, we revise the literature on factors associated with the retention of older people in civil society organizations. We propose a conceptual framework to understand these factors, which classifies them as means-related, motives-related, or organizational and opportunity context-related. The implications for retention theory and practice are discussed in the light of the results.