Fourth Age Identity : An Ambiguous Field

PETROVÁ KAFKOVÁ, Marcela and Lucie GALČANOVÁ. Fourth Age Identity : An Ambiguous Field. In 3rd ENAS conference : Cultural Narratives, Processes and Strategies in Representations of Age and Aging, April 27-30 Graz. 2017.

Basic information

• Original name: Fourth Age Identity : An Ambiguous Field
• Authors: PETROVÁ KAFKOVÁ, Marcela (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Lucie GALČANOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: 3rd ENAS conference : Cultural Narratives, Processes and Strategies in Representations of Age and Aging, April 27-30 Graz, 2017.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Field of Study: 50401 Sociology
• Country of publisher: Austria
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14230/17:00094732
• Organization unit: Faculty of Social Studies
• Keywords in English: fourth age; identity; oldest-old; ageing with disability; transition
• Tags: rivok

Abstract

The Fourth Age (4A) is not addressed as a standard life stage, but as a final stage of some older people that is substantially influenced by their care-reliance. The definition of 4A in terms of decline and dependency has helped to focus on the experience of those who do not fall into the category of “active agers”, but it has also challenged the notion of autonomy and positive Self-identity in advanced old age. The prevalent image of 4A is based on the conceptualization by Gilleard and Higgs, who define 4A as a “social imaginary”, a “black hole” from which there is no way back. Other researchers have discussed their view as limiting the possibilities of research on the agency of those living in this liminal grey zone. Even if there might be a state of full dependency, people mostly live through very diverse experiences of receiving and rejecting care; that is, some space for negotiation and agency is almost always present. In our paper, we aim to discuss various perceptions of identity among fourth-agers receiving care in their homes and in institutions. On the basis of the results of qualitative research (using repeated in-depth interviews and ethnography) conducted in the Czech Republic between 2015 and 2016, we would like to present the heterogeneity of people in 4A. We will focus on how they engage in (or withdraw from) various forms of decision making in everyday life and on how they build their own social identity in relation to practices of care and to their ageing Selves and bodies.

Links

• GA15-03156S, research and development project: Name: Čtvrtý věk: identita disability v době aktivního stárnutí

Investor: Czech Science Foundation