<p>The overall aim of this thesis was to deepen understanding of elder abuse (EA) by exploring and comparing perceptions held by experts, older persons, representatives of potential support organizations, and family members. Experts’ perspectives (I) were examined through risk indicators and screening questions (a) located in EA literature and (b) selected by an international Delphi panel. Risk indicators most commonly found in the literature or selected by the panel were compiled into consensus lists. There were differences between risk indicators and questions in the two lists. In papers II and III participants were interviewed in focus groups about their perceptions of EA. Older persons (II) considered EA to be due to changing society and family systems where children are not brought up to respect older persons. EA was mainly conceptualized as ageism, criminal actions, mistreatment in residential care, and societal abuse. The abuser was perceived as a stranger or a healthcare worker. Fear was discussed as a major consequence of EA; especially fear among women. Abused persons were described as carrying the responsibility to seek help. Witnesses were described as hesitant to get involved. Improvements in society such as educating children and healthcare workers were considered ways to cope with EA. Besides family and friends there were few spontaneous suggestions for where to seek help and support in society. These suggestions included healthcare, police, church, and volunteer organizations. Representatives of these suggested organizations were interviewed in focus groups about their perceptions of EA (III). Perceptions of both causes and conceptions of EA were very similar to perceptions of older persons (II). Four themes emerged in the data; good intentions in abusive situations, older generation’s responsibility for EA, failing to report abuse, and prevention of abuse. Participants (III) also expressed ageist attitudes themselves and findings included victim blaming and tolerance for EA. Participants perceived that anyone could be provoked to abuse, and that abusers can be considered victims in abusive situations. Confidentiality was discussed as a barrier to reporting and the need for educating children to show respect for older persons was identified. Interviews with an adult family member (IV) explored her experiences of witnessing abuse situations between her uncle and his wife. In her desire to protect and remain loyal to her family she felt powerless and tolerated abuse. She longed for support she could trust but was locked into passivity by her feelings of shame. Synthesis of findings (I – IV) revealed issues of isolation, autonomy, vulnerability, victim blaming, perceiving the abuser as a victim of circumstances, ageism, tolerating EA, shame, and power as essential elements in EA. Based on the findings, alternative descriptions of EA are offered as a challenge to existing EA definitions. Findings suggest that a key to unlocking EA is compassion, understood as the ability to see a situation as if we were in it ourselves, experiencing the potential for disrespect, shame and unworthiness inherent in abusive acts.</p>

The overall aim of this thesis was to deepen understanding of elder abuse (EA) by exploring and comparing perceptions held by experts, older persons, representatives of potential support organizations, and family members. Experts’ perspectives (I) were examined through risk indicators and screening questions (a) located in EA literature and (b) selected by an international Delphi panel. Risk indicators most commonly found in the literature or selected by the panel were compiled into consensus lists. There were differences between risk indicators and questions in the two lists. In papers II and III participants were interviewed in focus groups about their perceptions of EA. Older persons (II) considered EA to be due to changing society and family systems where children are not brought up to respect older persons. EA was mainly conceptualized as ageism, criminal actions, mistreatment in residential care, and societal abuse. The abuser was perceived as a stranger or a healthcare worker. Fear was discussed as a major consequence of EA; especially fear among women. Abused persons were described as carrying the responsibility to seek help. Witnesses were described as hesitant to get involved. Improvements in society such as educating children and healthcare workers were considered ways to cope with EA. Besides family and friends there were few spontaneous suggestions for where to seek help and support in society. These suggestions included healthcare, police, church, and volunteer organizations. Representatives of these suggested organizations were interviewed in focus groups about their perceptions of EA (III). Perceptions of both causes and conceptions of EA were very similar to perceptions of older persons (II). Four themes emerged in the data; good intentions in abusive situations, older generation’s responsibility for EA, failing to report abuse, and prevention of abuse. Participants (III) also expressed ageist attitudes themselves and findings included victim blaming and tolerance for EA. Participants perceived that anyone could be provoked to abuse, and that abusers can be considered victims in abusive situations. Confidentiality was discussed as a barrier to reporting and the need for educating children to show respect for older persons was identified. Interviews with an adult family member (IV) explored her experiences of witnessing abuse situations between her uncle and his wife. In her desire to protect and remain loyal to her family she felt powerless and tolerated abuse. She longed for support she could trust but was locked into passivity by her feelings of shame. Synthesis of findings (I – IV) revealed issues of isolation, autonomy, vulnerability, victim blaming, perceiving the abuser as a victim of circumstances, ageism, tolerating EA, shame, and power as essential elements in EA. Based on the findings, alternative descriptions of EA are offered as a challenge to existing EA definitions. Findings suggest that a key to unlocking EA is compassion, understood as the ability to see a situation as if we were in it ourselves, experiencing the potential for disrespect, shame and unworthiness inherent in abusive acts.

The overall aim of this thesis is to describe and analyse the age-related life experiences of elderly retired people and in relation to this to problematise ageism as an analytical concept in order to present a more dynamic understanding of the phenomenon of ageism in everyday life. Related to the overall objective three overarching research questions are addressed. How do elderly individuals relate to “age” in life and how do they express this in contexts in which standpoints are made in relation to age-codes? What can be generally said to represent the foundation of elderly people’s experiences of ageism? What all-embracing picture of ageism and age-coding is made visible when the phenomenon is examined using different kinds of methods for collecting and analysing empirical material? Research within the field of ageism is presented in terms of how it has been examined: as an ideology, as an “ideology” that is possible to deconstruct and as manifestations in everyday life. The hegemonic way of defining ageism is to associate it with prejudice, stereotyping and discriminationbased on age. This is viewed to be insufficient in order to understand ageism in everyday life. The positioning of the thesis in relation to the research field is therefore seen as problematising ageism as an analytical concept. The thesis consists of three different studies that are based on three different empirical materials. Life-stories, a questionnaire and focus group interviews are used to collect empirical material on the subject of elderly people’s age-related life experiences. The empirical materials and the studies connected to them are distinct ways of investigating ageism. Tentatively, methodtriangulation is applied in order to analyse the topic of ageism in everyday life from differenttheoretical perspectives. The most important conclusion is that ageism can be understood more dynamically as a practise that is exceptionally close to us individuals in everyday life. It is suggested that ageism is not only associated to age. Informants use alternative age-markers or time-markers in relation to which theyascribe meaning. When individuals tell their life-story the experiences are for example not tied to age. Age is hardly ever mentioned. In its place meaning is constructed around and ascribed to timemarkers such as for example “young”, “old”, “year”, “month”, “elderly” and so on. The use of and ascription of meaning to time-markers is also applicable in the other studies in the thesis. These alternative time-markers are suggested as something that also indicate ageism. Experiences and meaning are not solely focused on age. However, the meaning constructed in relation to the alternative markers is not unanimous, even if it sometimes appears to be. The experienced meaning takes many different forms and can by no means be fixated once and for all. An important conclusion is also that we cannot disregard gender in the understanding of ageism. It seems imperative to practice intersectional reasoning in order to understand the dynamics of ageism. Gendered ageism or gendered time-coding is essential in comprehending what people experience in everyday life.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka huruvida ålder påverkar rekryterares första urval samt få en förståelse för möjliga bakomliggande faktorer till hur åldersdiskriminering kan uppstå. Detta har utförs genom en experimentell metod där rekryterare fritt får resonera och göra urval bland fiktiva ansökningshandlingar. Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ experimentell forskningsansats där åtta rekryterare har intervjuats på fyra olika organisationer. Studien fokuserar på vilka bakomliggande faktorer som kan bidra till hur åldersdiskriminering kan uppstå vid ett urval. De bakomliggande faktorerna som framkom i studien var att det kan bero de diskurser i form av antaganden och egna värderingar, den interna integrationen i form av företagskulturen samt den externa anpassningen som innefattas av beställaren. / The purpose of the study is to evaluate if age affects recruits first selection as well as to get an understanding of possible factors that may lead to age discrimination. This is performed by an experimental method in which recruiters may freely discuss and make selection among fictional application documents. The study was conducted with a qualitative experimental research approach in which eight recruiters were interviewed at four different organizations. The study focuses on the underlying factors that contribute to how the age discrimination may arise in a selection. The underlying factors that emerged from the study was that it could be because the discourses in the form of assumptions and own values, the internal integration in the form of business culture and the external adjustment included by the client.

The method of secondary analysis of data was used in the theoretical part of my diploma thesis. I analysed literary and electronic sources in the way that the result represents the completed view on the old age with its many haracteristic changes, and the view on the life of seniors in their background (in family or an istitution). Consequently, I focused on human rights and needs and their possible suppression in senior population. The main theme of this thesis represents the maltreatment of seniors and ageisms. The practical part is focused on information and their obtaining with the help of a qualitative method. I used the method of interviewing, the technique of half-directed conversation. These were provided by the women at the age of 70-80. The women left the Hospital of České Budějovice maximally 10 days before the interview. The questions looked like the interview with instruction. Five more conrete hypothesis were cretated as a result of the analysis of gained data.

This dissertation deals with the ethical context of violence against seniors in the point of view of social workers. The theoretical part devotes with problems of old age and aging in contemporary society. The next section presents the violence, with an emphasis on institutional violence. The third charter reflects the theme of violence from the perspective of social work and ethics. The target of the practical parts was to map out knowledge and attitudes of workers in social services for violence against seniors, and to establish the circumstances that contribute to the potential threat of violence in the institutionalized elderly care. This part contains the basic results of empirical studies and case studies.

The focus of this thesis is to examine perceptions held towards older workers across industries. The perceptions of Human Resource personnel and hiring managers recruiting for Information Technologist were compared to the perceptions of Human Resource personnel and hiring managers recruiting for various other positions.

This diploma thesis deals with youth volunteering in organizations for the elderly. The theoretical part defines volunteering as well as describes its main incentives and predictors. Further, it elaborates on youth volunteering in the context of public policy. The last issue discussed is the intergenerational aspect, intergenerational gap, ageism, intergenerational learning and intergenerational volunteering and programs. The methodological part analyses how is this activity perceived by your volunteers and how they end up being involved in volunteering while using qualitative research methods. Lastly, it investigates what this activity brings into their life and their relationship towards the elderly.

The recommendations in Sweden following the coronavirus has led to a group of elderly people feeling discriminated – as some might not relate to the stereotypical view of people above the age of 70. This is just somewhat example how a negative stereotype towards elderly people could take form. A view similar like this towards elderly people that includes prejudicial attitudes or negative stereotypes is a form of discrimination, and goes by the name of ageism – which also might be our most accepted form of discrimination today. Sweden is a home for over 1.6 million people above the age of 70, which makes up for around 16 % of the total population. That makes the group a large target for discrimination. It might not be easy to reach out to all these people by yourself, but it’s certain that big media corporations have the power to do so. Our goal with this thesis was to study how two of the largest dailies in Sweden – Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter image distribution of the elderly people look like in terms of representation during the restrictions and recommendations of the coronavirus. In order to achieve this we used Lars Anderssons interpretation of ageism as our theoretical starting point, but also Stuart Hall’s theory about representation to answer in which way elderly people are being represented. The first level of analysis for this thesis was quantitative, as we wanted to see in frequencies which way the subject for this study is portrayed. This then gave us a broader picture we can work with for our qualitative analysis, where we then focused on analyzing semiotically of the elderly looks like in the news pictures during the given time frame for this study from 1ˢᵗ of April to 30ᵗʰ September. The results presented in this thesis did not share a similar result with most of the recent studies in the same field – which reveals how elderly people are portrayed in a negative ageing stereotype as well as underrepresented in the media.

The purpose of the study was to examine how social services manage cases involving elder abuse and whether the cases were managed differently depending on the gender of the client. To answer the study’s purpose and questions, qualitative interviews were conducted with social workers who worked in social services (n=6) and who had experience of cases involving elder abuse. The data was analyzed by Johan Galtung’s model of violence and by the theoretical concepts of ageism and intersectionality. The results from the rather scarce experiences of cases of older people who are victims of violence showed that there were  major differences in how elder abuse is carried out and the forms it takes, compared to abuse towards younger age-groups. However, there seems to be a lack of knowledge about elder abuse as well as a lack of guidelines for how cases involving elder abuse should be managed in the social services. Our conclusion was that the lack of guidelines prevents social workers from identifying and fully understanding elder abuse, as well as obtaining knowledge of how cases involving elder abuse should be managed. / Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur äldre som utsätts för våld hanteras inom socialtjänsten samt om det finns skillnader i ärendehanteringen beroende på om klienterna är män eller kvinnor. För att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar genomfördes kvalitativa intervjuer med socialarbetare som arbetade inom socialtjänsten (n=6) och som hade erfarenhet av våld mot äldre. Data har analyserats med hjälp av Johan Galtungs modell om våld samt de teoretiska begreppen ålderism och intersektionalitet. Resultaten visade att äldre personer som utsatts för våld sällan förekommande fall inom socialtjänsten. Det finns stora skillnader i hur våld mot äldre utövas och hur det ter sig, jämfört med våld bland yngre åldersgrupper. Samtidigt är kunskapen om våld mot äldre bristfällig, och riktlinjer för hur ärenden som involverar våld mot äldre ska hanteras saknas i socialtjänsten. Vår slutsats var att avsaknaden av riktlinjer gjorde det svårare för socialarbetare att förstå och identifiera våld mot äldre, så väl som att få kunskap om hur ärenden som involverar våld mot äldre ska hanteras.