Le Québec, comme ailleurs dans le monde, est confronté à un phénomène populationnel de taille, celui du vieillissement démographique. Pour tenir compte des nombreux enjeux et défis qui accompagnent ce phénomène, un nombre significatif d’actions ou de politiques gouvernementales ont impulsé la notion de « vieillissement actif », qui est devenue monnaie courante dans l’espace public. Cette notion, en outre, apparaît souvent contradictoire avec la réalité vécue des personnes vieillissantes. Si la notion de « vieillissement actif » a été introduite dans l’espace public en guise de stratégie pour s’adapter aux changements démographiques, dont celui du vieillissement, il concourt à perpétuer des discours âgistes et à produire un cadre normatif quant à la manière de vivre et de concevoir le vieillissement. Autrement dit, ces discours tendent à mettre dans un carcan les aînés.ées en proposant une vision linéaire et homogène du processus de vieillissement en négligeant leurs histoires singulières et les conditions sociales, politiques, culturelles, financières, sanitaires et autres qui façonnent le vieillissement comme processus hétérogène, vécu, représenté et performé en fonction, notamment, des rapports de pouvoir et des attentes sociales qui le traversent. Ce mémoire propose de comprendre le vieillissement comme une expérience hétérogène, en mettant de l’avant une perspective critique du vieillissement, comme processus vécu différemment selon la classe sociale, de la langue, du genre et de la capacité physique qui infléchissent les parcours de vie des personnes. Les parcours et les histoires propres à chaque personne agissent comme toile de fond à la manière de vivre, d’interpréter, de communiquer et de concevoir le vieillissement comme processus foncièrement hétérogène et contingent aux conditions sociales, politiques, économiques, technologiques et culturelles dans lesquelles ils s’actualisent. D’une manière plus spécifique, ce mémoire explore le vieillissement au féminin, au Québec. La probabilité plus importante pour les femmes aînées que pour les hommes aînés d’être la cible de discours âgistes, tout comme les multiples discriminations articulées et renforcées par les politiques publiques en matière de vieillissement, rend compte de la pluralité des logiques de domination. En s’appuyant sur une méthode biographique et les techniques de l’entrevue de récit de vie et visuelle, ce mémoire a pour objectif d’étudier l’histoire singulière de ma grand-mère, une femme septuagénaire, dans une perspective de vieillissement et de communication. La problématique interroge le vieillissement au Québec dans un contexte où le discours social et les politiques publiques sont axés sur le « vieillissement actif », une approche du « bien vieillir » qui concourt à perpétuer de différentes manières l’âgisme ambiant. L’analyse qui a suivi les entretiens de recherche a permis de faire valoir l’unicité liée à l’histoire d’une femme vieillissante et de corréler cette expérience vécue à celle véhiculée, notamment, dans les discours publics sur le « vieillissement actif ». / Quebec, like other places in the world, is experiencing significant demographic changes related to the rapid aging of its population. To take into account the many challenges that accompany this phenomenon, a significant number of governments have developed programs and policies based on "active aging", which has become commonplace in the public discourse. This notion often appears contradictory with the lived reality of aging people. "Active aging" contributes to perpetuate ageist discourses and produce a normative framework as to how to experience and conceive of aging. These discourses tend to put seniors in a straitjacket by offering a linear and homogeneous vision of the aging process while neglecting their singular histories and the social, political, cultural, financial, health that shape aging as heterogeneous, lived, represented and performed in function of the power relations and the social expectations which cross it. I understand aging as a heterogeneous experience, by putting forward a critical perspective of aging, as a process experienced differently according to social class, language, gender and physical ability which influence life course of people. The journeys and stories specific to each person act as a backdrop to the ways of living, interpreting, communicating and conceiving of aging as a fundamentally heterogeneous and contingent process which varies according to social, political, economic, technological and cultural conditions in which they update themselves. Specifically, I explore women’s aging in Quebec. The greater probability for older women than for older men to be the target of ageist discourse, just like the multiple forms of discrimination articulated and reinforced by public policies on aging, reflects the plurality of logics of domination. Based on a biographical method and the techniques of life story and visual interviewing, this thesis aims to study the unique lifecourse of my grandmother, a woman in her seventies from a perspective of aging and communication. The research problematic questions aging in Quebec in a context where social discourse and public policies are focused on "active aging", an approach to "aging well" which contributes to perpetuating the prevailing ageism. The analysis of the research interviews bring to the fore three key dimensions to this women’s ageing, namely the negociation of place, the management of appearances and the changing boundaries of old age. Combined, they highlight the uniqueness linked to the history of an aging woman and to correlate her lived experience with that conveyed in public discourse on "active aging".

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Psykisk ohälsa hos äldre behandlas ofta enbart med mediciner trots kända risker. Psykoterapi erbjuds inte alla äldre, vilket kan vara en konsekvens av ålderism, åldersbaserad diskriminering, som även kan visa sig genom avsaknad av flexibilitet och specialanpassade ramar i terapin och prägla den äldre patientens och terapeutens föreställningar om varandra och terapin. En tematisk analys genomfördes efter sex intervjuer med psykoterapeuter i syfte att undersöka vilka faktorer som är viktiga att beakta vid en psykodynamisk terapi med äldre och vad som anses kurativt. Analysen visade att det är en förbisedd möjlighet mot välbefinnande för äldre personer som lider av oro, ångest och depression samt kan vara i livets slutskede och önskar tala om sådant som kan behöva redas ut innan livet tar slut. Tid är en viktig faktor i terapin där sorg och existentiella frågor får ta plats. Terapeuten kan med fördel vara flexibel, erbjuda specialanpassade ramar och göra en omsorgsfull differentialdiagnos för att möjliggöra terapi för de äldre och upptäcka demens. Utmaningar för terapeuten beskrivs som regression, lyssna efter suicidtankar och bedöma när man ska arbeta bearbetande eller stödjande, ibland på ett symbolplan. Förutom den nödvändiga alliansen mellan terapeut och patient och att aktualisera gamla trauman, konflikter och sorg är det kurativt att tala om existentiella frågor. Resultaten diskuteras och förslag ges på framtida forskningsuppslag.

This thesis explores how the general public understands and responds to dementia. In the context of this study the word ‘understanding' is used to convey the complex co-construction of knowledge and establishing of beliefs that constitutes public understandings of dementia. The study also examines the responses of members of the public to dementia, in the context of their understanding. Data were collected over a 12 month period and included a module in the Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey, five focus groups and nine interviews with participants from the focus groups. The survey module included thirty measures examining levels of knowledge and attitudes towards dementia. 1200 participants were targeted and the survey was administered by the Northern Ireland Research & Statistics Agency with a response rate of 58%. The focus groups and interviews provided the mechanism to gather a more nuanced picture, exploring the beliefs behind the attitudes and the self-reported responses of participants to people with dementia. Findings indicate that the general public has a reasonable knowledge of the symptoms and pathway of dementia in line with a bio medical model. However the findings also indicate that the general public holds a mix of theoretical and empirical knowledge and that this is often contradictory. A complex mix of scientific or medical information, experience, anecdote and assumptions contribute to the discourse. This information is stored and conveyed in the form of stories and a consequence of this interplay is that individual experiences told in the form of stories are generalised to become building blocks in the construction of what the general public understands dementia to be. The current construction of dementia among the general public is found to be both nihilistic and ageist with clear evidence that dementia is stigmatised. I will argue that that the relationship between dementia and ageing in the minds of the general public is a symbiotic one. Dementia has become a cultural metaphor for unsuccessful ageing marking entry to the fourth age. The stigmatising response of the general public is the result of a complex interplay of multiple factors. I have expanded on previous ideas of multiple jeopardy and intersectionality, suggesting that the stigma associated with dementia is unique and driven as much by emotional responses as by the social location of the person with dementia. I have borrowed Brooker’s (2003) term “Dementia-ism’ to describe this stigma. This thesis argues for a more complex and sophisticated approach to changing public attitudes and reducing stigma. Dementia-ism must be addressed with the same strength of purpose currently applied to sexism, racism and ageism.

English abstract The thesis deals with the theoretical and the practical level, the views of adolescents on the issues of the elderly. Represents the characteristics of adolescence and its stages. Describes the basic physical, psychological, emotional and social changes of adolescence and their impact on this age period. Subsequently defines old age, aging, elderly, and the phase of old age. With regard to the stage of old age outlines the basic physical, psychological, and social changes in the period of old age. The third chapter focuses on the issue of the views and attitudes of the society on the elderly and the factors, which affects them. The fourth chapter describes the opinions and attitudes of adolescents to the elderly and the factors which influence. The third and the fourth chapter is enhanced by research with this issue. The final chapter consists of the research of the investigation describing the views of adolescents to the elderly. Research survey consists of ten lines with the selected issues of the elderly, dealing with the characteristics of the elderly, the expectations and concerns of the elderly, the advantages and disadvantages of the elderly, the work of the elderly, care for the elderly, living with seniors, the situation of today's older people benefit from contact with the senior...

The key topics of this project are intergenerational relationships, in the means of creating a positive approach towards ageing in elementary school kids. Regarding the fact of demographic ageing of the population, active engagement of seniors into public life and profitable usage of their experience are both a current matter. The theoretical part of this thesis discusses intergenerational relationships, defines old age as equal to other stages of life and questions various stances and values. The practical part offers guidance to the developing process of collaboration between elementary school kids and seniors, in the area of social studies. The aim of intergenerational cooperation is going to be, through conversations, shared memories and further work with them, the increase of kids' concern about modern history and enhancement of respect towards ageing, therefore prevention of ageism. KEY WORDS population ageing, ageism, intergeneration relationships, positive approach to ageing, family memory, memories, teaching, project - based learning, inspiration for schools, modern history

I denna vetenskapliga essä undersöker jag begreppet helhetssyn som ord, dess historiska utveckling inom hälso- och sjukvård, hur det uppfattas inom aktuell forskning samt ur ett filosofiskt perspektiv. Fenomenologi, hermeneutik och existentialism utgör det filosofiska ramverket och jag låter dessa teorier gå i dialog med gestaltade berättelser från mitt yrkesutövande som fysioterapeut men också med mina reflektioner och tidigare erfarenheter. Hälsa är ett annat begrepp som undersöks eftersom det är nära besläktat med helhet och också något som människan strävar mot genom hela livet. Eftersom mitt arbete huvudsakligen utförs i möte med åldrade patienter ger jag extra mycket utrymme åt just åldrandet och kroniska sjukdom som fenomen. Den praktiska klokheten, kunskapsformen fronesis, växer fram som en grundläggande förutsättning för att kunna sträva mot helhetssyn med en etiskt grundad kvalitet. Även om jag kommer fram till att helhetssyn förmodligen är en utopi så är det fortfarande ytterst viktigt att sträva mot den. Den essentiella delaspekt av helhetssyn som vuxit fram vid sidan av fronesis väljer jag att benämna situasyn. Utmaningen kallas NPM. / In this scientific essay, I examine the concept of the holistic view — as a notion, its historical development in health and medical care, how it is perceived within current research, and from a philosophical perspective. Phenomenology, hermeneutics and existentialism constitute the philosophical framework and I let these theories go into dialogue with depicted stories from my professional practice as a physiotherapist, and also with my own reflections and past experiences. Health is another concept that I investigate because of its close relationship with wholeness, and also because it is something that man strives towards throughout his life. Since my work is mainly done in meetings with elderly patients, I give extra space to aging and chronic illness as phenomena. The practical wisdom, phronesis, as a form of knowledge, emerges as a basic prerequisite for being able to strive towards a holistic view of an ethically founded quality. Although I will argue that a holistic view is a utopic vision, I conclude that it is still important to strive towards it. The essential part of the holistic approach that emerged, alongside phronesis, I've chosen to call situasyn. The challenge is called NPM.

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Within the field of cinema studies, the question of visual representation is a fundamental pillar. An immense volume of theoretical work has been written on the subject, with various academic approaches such as feministic, postcolonial and gay/lesbian. Yet there is a large social group that seems to have been overlooked within the representational discourse: the elderly. This group of people appears to be a blind spot on the multicultural retina, too often neglected within the area of cultural studies. But as the baby boomer generation, who has always redefined the different stages of life (youth, adulthood, middle age), is entering old age, things are slowly changing. Utilizing a post-structural framework, this essay investigates the visual representation of elderly within the cinematic landscape of the western world. Since the subject is somewhat uncharted territory, a broad interdisciplinary approach is necessary where modern social gerontology meets the field of cinema studies. In a cultural context, social grouping based on age implies a distinct position versus the normative, compare to other types of minorities. Changes of sex, skin colour or sexual preference are uncommon, whereas changing age is the fate of every human being. The elderly as the “the Other” is thus every man’s future destiny. This rather unique position carries an immanent paradox since the only way to avoid the periphery in question is death. As a philosophical counterpoint to this rather dystopian outlook, Gilles Deleuze’s theory of becoming is brought into the discussion. The theoretical part of the essay ends with the ontology of age, a historical review of the field of gerontology and the concept of ageism. After a descriptive section, where contemporary examples of film and other media with old age as a main theme are identified, the analytical part of the essay ensues. With the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu as a theoretical frame of reference, a close reading of the films Avalon (Axel Petersén, 2011), About Schmidt (Alexander Payne, 2002) and RED (Robert Schwentke, 2010) are performed, emphasising aging identity and imposed age-normative behaviour. The semiotics of the aged body is discussed through Jacques Lacans mirror stage and Julia Kristevas abject theory, exemplified by the works of Donigan Cumming. The final part of the essay concerns the great eternal questions within film philosophy: life, death, time and memory, which for the elderly are not merely philosophical concerns but rather notable existential realities. Using Deleuze as a philosophical toolbox, these grand topics are illuminated with examples from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (David Fincher, 2008), Amour (Michael Haneke, 2012) and Ingmar Bergmans classical works, such as Smultronstället (1957), Saraband (2003) and Gycklarnas afton (1953).

Detta är en studie av hur ’äldre’ som språklig och social kategori samt åldrande som process konstrueras i tre sammanlänkade offentligheter. Avhandlingens övergripande syfte är att studera och kritiskt granska olika sätt varpå ’äldre’ som kategori förstås och representeras i relation till pågående omförhandlingar av innebörden i den senare delen av livet som livsfas. Valet av material har gjorts utifrån utgångspunkten att medierade offentligheters betydelse för bildandet och upprätthållandet av sociala och kollektiva identiteter, liksom deras roll som platser för diskussion om hur samhället ska organiseras, har ökat. Studien utgår från tre kontrasterande empiriska material; artiklar från dagstidningar, texter från ett pensionärsparti, och en offentlig utredning om den framtida svenska äldrepolitiken. Det studerade materialet är publicerat mellan 2002 och 2004 Genom att materialen analyseras som ingående i en dialog med varandra, ett offentligt samtal, synliggörs relationerna mellan olika konstruktioner. Skillnaderna mellan de olika materialen är betydande. Men analysen visar också på hur samma argument och föreställningar finns närvarande i alla tre offentligheter. Hur ’äldre’ som kategori konstrueras i de olika materialen är relaterat till olika föreställningar både om äldre människor och deras samhälleliga status, men också om samhället och nationen som en föreställd gemenskap. Studien visar bland annat att ’äldre’ är en kategori som det talas om, men inte till. Det är också sällan som ’äldre’ är en position det talas utifrån. I samklang med detta konstrueras kategorin som ett objekt för den nationella gemenskapens ansvar och omsorg. / This is a study of how ‘older people’ as a linguistic and social category, and ageing as a process, is constructed in three interrelated publics. The aim of the thesis is to study and critically investigate the different ways in which ‘older people’ as a category is understood and represented in relation to ongoing negotiations about the meaning of later life as a stage of life. The increased significance of mediated publics for the formation and maintenance of social and collective identities, as well as their role as spaces for deliberation on the organization of society, is a starting point for the study and has bearing on the choice of data. The study is based on three contrastive sets of empirical material; newspaper articles, texts from a pensioner’s party, and a government report on the future old age policy of Sweden. The studied texts were published during the period 2002 – 2004. The publics have been studied as in a dialogical relation with each other. This strategy highlights the relations between different constructions of the category. The differences between the publics are significant. At the same time the analysis also shows overlaps of arguments and in the way that the category is understood between the publics. The ways that ‘older people’ are constructed in the material is related to different notions about older people and their societal status. But also to ideas about society and the nation as an imagined community. The study shows, among other things, that ‘older people’ is a category that is spoken about, rather than to. ‘Older people’ rarely functions as a subject in the studied material. In relation to this, the category is constructed as an object for the care and responsibility of the national community.