Social Participation and Growing Old Well: A Study from the Perspective of Older People in a Medium Sized City Located in East Netherlands.

Abstract

Research Question: Based on the importance but sparse contribution from older people themselves in academic literature, this research asks, “How are the concepts of ‘social participation’ and of ‘growing old well’ perceived by older people?” Methods: This research uses ethnographic methods of participant observation (PO) and semi-structured interviews at home in the field of anthropology. Results: SP was most recognised by participants as opportunity to participate in different activities, with a common objective to connect and feel part of a community and to exercise feelings of social responsibility or to simply get out of the house. However, despite a general assumption, that SP benefits the wellbeing and health of people, a sub-section of participants recognised it as having minimal importance in terms of ‘growing old well’ in their own homes. Conclusion: Therefore, this study urges caution around blanket promotion of older people as one homogeneous group, to engage with SP in order to grow old happily in their own home and showcases a methodology of bottom up research accounting for heterogeneity amongst older people while also identifying overlapping patterns in order to make diverse broad and diverse data of use in policy making.