Ageing in rural areas of East and West Germany: increasing similarities and remaining differences

Mollenkopf, Hans-Joachim; Kaspar, Roman

doi:10.1007/s10433-005-0029-2

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The Mollenkopf and Kaspar (2005) paper is driven by the argument that continuing differences between East and West Germany, 10 years after re-unification, can best be detected in a contrast of rural areas located in the east and west. The study's strength is the breadth of variables used for comparison purposes, ranging from health-related data (such as ADL and cognitive performance) to well-being (e.g.…”

Section: A Closer Look At the Papersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…I believe that this represents a major strength of the collection. Specifically, the papers by Scharf et al (2005) and Oswald et al (2005) provide differentiated views on ageing in specific urban settings in England and Germany, while the contributions of Burholt and Naylor (2005) and Mollenkopf and Kaspar (2005) develop in-depth contrasts of specific rural settings in England and Germany. The paper by Deeg and Thome´se (2005) explores the role of discrepancies between income level and neighbourhood status for ageing outcomes and also relates person-environment discrepancy constellations to urban and rural regions in The Netherlands.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Ageing research along the urban–rural distinction: old questions and new potential

Wahl

2005

Eur J Ageing

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Challenges of ageing research along the urban-rural distinctionResearch relating to the urban-rural distinction, frequently framed as a direct contrast between urban and rural regions, has yet to become a major pathway in gerontology and continues to be subject to considerable debate in relation to its status and outcomes. This can be attributed to several factors.First, the urban-rural contrast approach is associated with numerous research design and methodology flaws (Golant 2004). This encompasses ongoing difficulties and incompatibilities arising from the definition of 'urban' and 'rural' areas-a situation which applies to research conducted within a single nation, but is compounded when cross-national comparisons are attempted. Further problems arise from an ongoing neglect to control for confounding variables, such as education and income, when seeking to identify 'true' and robust urban-rural differences. Going further still, the heterogeneity within urban and rural settings often appears to be so pronounced, even within individual nations, that a simplistic urban-rural contrast is unlikely to represent a very useful endeavour. Related to this, urban and rural settings represent moving targets. On the one hand, rural regions in many nations have changed dramatically-either to the better or to the worse-since the 1980s in relation to their economic and infrastructural development. On the other hand, longterm and ongoing changes in urban areas, including trends towards suburbanisation, the concentration and dominance of business areas and a diversity of city centres, have significantly affected the lives of older people in urban areas. Consequently, research on urban-rural issues and ageing dating from the 1970s and 1980s is probably no longer very helpful, and there is an urgent need to update the knowledge base in this field.In the light of these considerations, it would appear that simple urban-rural contrasts relating to older people no longer provide convincing answers to the challenges in the field of gerontology. Instead, a more differentiated approach is demanded which focuses on specific urban or rural areas. This approach should be driven by important conceptual and societal questions, and by a desire to investigate-to draw upon a distinction suggested by Rowles and Watkins (2003)-the importance of spaces (in objective terms) and places (as the subjective, cognitive-emotional representation of objective space) as people age. This is the bottom line which can be identified in the collection of six papers echoing recent European research on urban and rural issues, brought together by Thomas Scharf as a special section of this issue of the European Journal of Ageing (EJA). I believe that this represents a major strength of the collection. Specifically, the papers by Scharf et al. (2005) and Oswald et al. (2005) provide differentiated views on ageing in specific urban settings in England and Germany, while the contributions of Burholt and Naylor (2005) and Mollenkopf and Kaspar (2005) develop in-depth...

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Section: A Closer Look At the Papersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Ageing research along the urban–rural distinction: old questions and new potential

Wahl

2005

Eur J Ageing

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“…Both the actual environmental characteristics and environmental perceptions may be relevant for happiness [ 30 , 31 ]. However, only a few studies thus far have measured these objective and subjective environmental characteristics at the same time [ 32 , 33 ]. Additionally, some studies have suggested that environment-happiness associations may differ between socio-demographic and socio-economic subgroups, but such evidence is scarce [ 34 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contextual correlates of happiness in European adults

et al. 2018

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ObjectivesWe aimed to examine the associations of both objectively assessed and perceived physical and social neighborhood characteristics with happiness in European adults. In addition, we aimed to study how these associations differed among subgroups.MethodsParticipants (N = 6037) of the cross-sectional SPOTLIGHT survey reported on their level of happiness using a 5-point Likert scale, and on perceived physical and social environmental neighborhood characteristics. Objective physical environmental characteristics were assessed using a Google Street View-based neighborhood audit. Associations of 14 physical and social environmental characteristics with happiness were analyzed using multivariable multinomial regression analyses with clustered standard errors.ResultsLiving in neighborhoods with higher levels of aesthetics and more water and green space was associated with being very happy. Individuals who perceived their neighborhood to be safer, more functional and more aesthetic were more likely to be very happy. The associations of functionality and aesthetics with happiness were strongest in the Ghent region (Belgium), the Randstad (the Netherlands) and Greater London (United Kingdom). Perceived absence of air pollution was only associated with higher levels of happiness in more highly educated participants. Individuals with a larger social network, more social cohesion and who trusted their neighbors were more likely to be very happy. The association between social networks and happiness was somewhat stronger in men than in women. In general, the associations between environmental characteristics and happiness had similar directions and sizes across socio-economic and socio-demographic subgroups.ConclusionsThis European study provided evidence that both objectively assessed and perceived physical and social characteristics of the neighborhood environment are associated with the happiness of its residents.

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“…These central dimensions of comparison are regarded as indicators of risk and protection respectively and are frequently used in similar studies (cf. Mollenkopf and Kaspar 2005). The participants were recruited via ads in local newspapers, flyers, workshops and the intermediation of the local domestic nursing services.…”

Section: Needs Assessment and Communication Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Societal Participation of the Elderly: Information and Communication Technologies as a “Social Junction”

Biniok

Menke²

2015

A&A

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The technoscape as a global configuration of technology influences lifestyles and living conditions; conversely, developing, implementing and utilizing technologies all shape the technoscape. Starting from this interdependence between human action and technoscape, we examine how sociotechnical configurations determine social participation among the elderly in rural regions. The primary question is how social space, concretely participation space is shaped by the use of information and communication technologies. Specifically, our study seeks to investigate the extent to which social participation of the elderly population may be enhanced by the use of technological devices suitable for everyday life. To this end, a tablet PC with a self-developed communication platform was submitted to a field test. Through the provision of low-threshold access to information and communication technology, newly developed or renewed virtual contacts and relationships were expected to lead to real-life interactions. The results of our qualitative analysis show three diverse developments concerning the interrelation between social life and the technoscape: the emergence of a new participation space, the extension of established participation space and engagement within the existing participation space. Technology as a "social junction" can thus have positive impacts on the social participation of the elderly.

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Ageing in rural areas of East and West Germany: increasing similarities and remaining differences

Abstract: Since unification in 1990, living conditions in

Cited by 18 publications

References 25 publications

Ageing research along the urban–rural distinction: old questions and new potential

Ageing research along the urban–rural distinction: old questions and new potential

Contextual correlates of happiness in European adults

Societal Participation of the Elderly: Information and Communication Technologies as a “Social Junction”

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