Social ability or social frailty? The balance between autonomy and connectedness in the lives of older people
Social ability or social frailty? The balance between autonomy and connectedness in the lives of older people
This chapter discusses the important role of social relationships for ageing well in contemporary society, where people are less able to fall back on 'given' bonds such as family or neighbourhood relationships, and good personal competencies are necessary to make meaningful contacts. These contacts are crucial for dealing with problematic situations and circumstances with which people are confronted, and which tend to happen more often as people age. In this chapter the personal networks of Dutch older adults are described; it shows that two-thirds of them have a supportive social network. For the rest, the social network is less attractive; they are lonely or socially isolated. The empirical data make clear that the extent to which older adults are embedded in a meaningful social network has enriching consequences for their dealing with major life events and their chances of aging well. It shows that well-being is the greatest when people succeed at finding a good balance between individual autonomy and independence on one hand, and connectedness with others in a meaningful and supportive network on the other.
Keywords: Loneliness, social isolation, social relationships, life events, connectedness, older adults
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