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Abstract
Becoming alone in old age can be a decisive life event that brings major changes depending on various causes as health status, financial resources, family situation, and available welfare services. This article discusses the situation of older people in Sweden who have transitioned from a two-person to single-person household in recent years and what impact this might have on their everyday lives. Through in-depth interviews with 18 older people, age 67–90, their experiences about life conditions and opportunities were examined. Findings showed large differences between the men and women. They all tried to live as they always had done and they used the same personal life strategies that they always had. But the men could live as before on their own financial merits, while the women needed assistance from children, grandchildren and the welfare system. Transportation options were central and clearly related to both private economy and social services available. Shortcomings in the welfare state's way of caring for the elderly were clearly uncovered. The gap between social policy promises of opportunities for autonomy and independence to live an active life in old age and the everyday reality for older people still seems to be wide.
Att bli ensam på äldre dar kan vara en avgörande händelse som ger stora förändringar i livet beroende på orsaker som hälsotillstånd, ekonomiska resurser, familjesituation och tillgängliga välfärdstjänster. I denna artikel diskuteras situationen för äldre personer i Sverige som har flyttat från ett två-personers till ensamhushåll under de senaste åren och vilken betydelse det kan få för deras vardag. Genom djupintervjuer med 18 äldre personer i åldern 67–90 år, belyses deras erfarenheter, livsvillkor och möjligheter till ett liv som tidigare. Resultaten visade stora skillnader mellan män och kvinnor. Alla försökte leva som de alltid hade gjort och de använde samma personliga livsstrategier som de alltid hade haft. Men männen kunde leva som förut på egna finansiella meriter, medan kvinnorna behövde hjälp från barn, barnbarn och välfärdssystemet. Tillgången till allmänna kommunikationer var en central fråga tydligt relaterad till både den privata ekonomin och tillgänglig social service. Bristerna i välfärdsstatens sätt att ta hand om de äldre blev tydliga. Gapet mellan socialpolitiska mål och löften om möjligheter till självständighet och oberoende för att leva ett aktivt liv i ålderdomen, och den vardagliga verkligheten för äldre människor verkar fortfarande vara stort.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Ulla Melin Emilsson is a Professor at the School of Social Work, Lund University and at Linneaus University. She is a Psychologist, trained as a Social Worker, graduated in Supervision and she holds a PhD in Social Work. Melin Emilsson's research areas are mainly social work and care of older people from various psychological and socio-political perspectives; women's attendance in mammography screening and supervision as pedagogy and support, in social work practice as well as in postgraduate education.
Agneta Ståhl is a professor in Public Transport Planning at the Department of Technology and Society at Lund University, Sweden. She is the research leader of the Competence centre—Traffic Environment for Older people and People with Disabilities at the Department of Technology and Society at the Faculty of Engineering. She is also the Co-director of the interdisciplinary ‘Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments’ (CASE) at Lund University. Agneta Ståhls speciality is research on accessibility/usability and mobility needs of older people and people with disabilities, comprising public transport and vehicle design as well as the design of the outdoor and traffic environments. Major achievements are the development of a taxi vehicle (Taxi for all), special route network in public transport designed to meet the needs of older people and people with disabilities (Service Routes) and the involvement of user groups in the planning of accessible and safe outdoor environments.