Ruth E.S. Allen

Resilience: thoughts on the value of the concept for critical gerontology

ABSTRACT This article examines the utility of the concept of resilience to the field of critical gerontology. Resilience is an increasingly popular concept within the social sciences. We explore some key ideas about individual and social resilience from varied fields, and propose new ways to conceptualise these in relation to resilience in later life. This article examines the history of the concept of resilience; explores some of the diverse ways that gerontologists are attempting to apply it to later life; and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of using resilience as a conceptual framework within critical ageing research. We also suggest ways of conceptualising resilience and ageing, highlighting the different scales of resilience that impact on the ability of older people to negotiate adversity, and some key areas of resilience relevant to later life. The example of mobility resilience is used to illustrate how different scales of resilience operate within an area of resilience central to the ageing experience. Finally, some key principles for the use of resilience within critical gerontology are outlined, providing guidance on how to maximise the potential of the concept whilst avoiding some of the limitations associated with its historical usage.

‘No matter what the cost’: A qualitative study of the financial costs faced by family and whānau caregivers within a palliative care context

Background: There has been significant attention paid in recent years to the economic costs of health service provision for people with palliative care needs. However, little is known about the costs incurred by family caregivers who typically provide the bulk of care for people at the end of life. Aim: To explore the nature and range of financial costs incurred by family caregiving within a palliative care context. Design: In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 family/whānau caregivers who were currently caring for someone with a life-limiting illness or had done so within the preceding year. Narrative analysis was used to identify impacts and costs at the personal, interpersonal, sociocultural and structural levels. Setting: Auckland, New Zealand. Findings: Costs of caregiving were significant and, for participants, resulted in debt or even bankruptcy. A range of direct (transport, food and medication) and indirect costs (related to employment, cultural needs and own health) were reported. A multi-level qualitative analysis revealed how costs operated at a number of levels (personal, interpersonal, sociocultural and structural). The palliative care context increased costs, as meeting needs were prioritised over cost. In addition, support from statutory service providers to access sources of financial support was limited. Conclusion: Families incur significant financial costs when caring for someone at the end of life. Research is now needed to quantify the financial contribution of family and whānau caregiving within a palliative care context, particularly given attempts in many countries to shift more palliative care provision into community settings.

The utility of positioning theory to the study of ageing: Examples from research with childless older people.

Growing older is hard to make sense of. Opposing perspectives are presented on everything from individual to population ageing, and there is widespread ambivalence towards many aspects of ageing. Positioning theory is a research approach that can tolerate such ambiguity and provides a clear, useful framework to make sense of research data, while doing justice to its complexity. It is starting to be used in gerontology; the aim of this paper is to give gerontologists the tools and impetus to use it more. The positioning triad is outlined, comprising positions (how we position ourselves and others within a single conversation or across a lifetime), storylines (the individual and social narratives which furnish those positions), and the speech acts (and acts of research) through which storylines and positions are enacted. In addition, considering the rights and duties associated with different positions and storylines can usefully illuminate some of the tensions around competing positions on ageing. Worked examples from a qualitative study on childless older people (38 participants aged 63 to 93) in terms of their positioning of childlessness, views on residential care, and positioning of emotional support show how the complexity of such diverse topics can be usefully studied using a positioning theory framework.

A rose by any other name: participants choosing research pseudonyms

ABSTRACT How do researchers name people respectfully in research projects? In an interview study on aspects of aging, 38 participants were invited to choose their own pseudonyms for the research. The resulting discussions show that the common practice of allocating pseudonyms to confer anonymity is not merely a technical procedure, but renaming has psychological meaning to both the participants and the content and process of the research. The care and thought with which many participants chose their names, and the meanings or links associated with those names, illuminated the importance of the process of naming. There was evidence of rules and customs around naming that further confirmed its importance both within their sociocultural worlds, and as an act of research, affected by issues of power and voice, methodology, and research outputs. We invite researchers to consider a more nuanced engagement with participants regarding choosing pseudonyms in research.

Methodological considerations for researching the financial costs of family caregiving within a palliative care context.

Background The financial impact of family caregiving in a palliative care context has been identified as an issue which requires further research. However, little is known about how research should be conducted in this area. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the opinions of family caregivers in New Zealand regarding the need to conduct research relating to the financial costs of family caregiving and to explore their perspectives on acceptable and feasible methods of data collection. Methods A qualitative study design was adopted. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 family caregivers who were either currently caring for a person with palliative care needs or had done so in the past year. Results All participants felt that research relating to the costs of family caregiving within a palliative care context was important. There was little consensus regarding the most appropriate methods of data collection and administration. Online methods were preferred by many participants, although face-to-face methods were particularly favoured by Ma¯ori participants. Both questionnaires and cost diaries were felt to have strengths and weaknesses. Conclusions Prospective longitudinal designs are likely to be most appropriate for future research, in order to capture variations in costs over time. The lack of consensus for a single preferred method makes it difficult to formulate specific recommendations regarding methods of data collection; providing participants with options for methods of completion may therefore be appropriate.