‘All elderly people have important service needs’: a study of discourses on older people in parliamentary discussions in Finland

Abstract

This study examines discursive constructions of older people by analysing the talk of members of parliament in parliamentary discussions in Finland. While the perceptions of older people that are constructed in various public and private arenas have been relatively widely examined, the talk of political decision makers has not been studied to any large extent. However, decision makers' understandings of older people are likely to influence the ways in which service systems are developed and services organised for older people. The parliamentary discussions examined in this study were related to the process of enacting legislation to secure services for older people. Using discourse analysis, three ways of constructing older people – as ‘the dependent’, ‘the active’ and ‘the deserving’ – are identified. Although the results are to some extent in accordance with previous findings, indicating that older people are constructed as either totally dependent and passive or extremely active, this study also breaks this dichotomous view and highlights the overlap between those constructions. Nonetheless, the picture of older people remains fairly one-dimensional. There was an absence of recognition of diversity among older people, which might inhibit the development of a customer-oriented service system.

Misunderstanding home: Exploring depictions of home in old age policy decision-making

“…At the same time, the aims and nature of the Act the MPs were debating about shaped the results. For example, the home was mostly depicted from the point of view of an older person who needed services and care (see Pulkki & Tynkkynen 2015). This may not be problematic, however, as this is the focus group of old-age policy, including ageing in place policy, in general.…”

“…This was also the case when MPs talked about the means by which "we support older people managing to live at home." Older people were not considered active participants in their care, even though caring takes place in older persons' own homes (Pulkki & Tynkkynen 2015;Pulkki et al 2017).…”

Ikääntyneet aikuiset kuntoutustyöntekijöiden puheessa

“…Arviointipuheessa ikääntynyt oli ensisijaisesti sosiaali-ja terveydenhuollon asiakas, ja työntekijän subjektipositiona oli olla kuntoutustyön luotettava ammattilainen noudattaen annettuja ohjeita ja toteuttaen sovittuja kuntoutuspalveluja. Arviointipuheen voidaan katsoa olleen osa koko aineiston taustalla esiintynyttä lääketieteen valtapuhetta, jonka on todettu olevan läsnä myös vanhuutta (Pulkki & Tynkkynen 2016) ja vammaisuutta koskevassa puheessa (Vehkakoski 2006). Sen painottumiseen tutkimuksessamme vaikutti todennäköisesti tutkimusaineistona käytetty tutkijan ja työntekijöiden fokusryhmäkeskustelu tutkimus-ja kehittämishankkeen päätösvaiheessa.…”

Being like others vs. being different: Wearable technology and daily practices of 50+ consumers in Russia and Finland

“…Looking at public discussion on ageing, Pulkki and Tynkkynen (2016) argue that a shift towards a neo‐liberal paradigm has been occurring in Finland. This is evident, for instance, through perpetuation of new repertoires: alongside the narratives of dependency and need for public services, there is an emerging narrative of “an active ageing individual” (Pulkki & Tynkkynen, 2016). Such a person is independent and autonomous as well as capable of making weighted decisions about their own care procedures (Pulkki & Tynkkynen, 2016, p. 73).…”

“…This is evident, for instance, through perpetuation of new repertoires: alongside the narratives of dependency and need for public services, there is an emerging narrative of “an active ageing individual” (Pulkki & Tynkkynen, 2016). Such a person is independent and autonomous as well as capable of making weighted decisions about their own care procedures (Pulkki & Tynkkynen, 2016, p. 73). Overall, Finnish public discourse on ageing, albeit without the direct economic underpinning, raises the dichotomy of being a burden (passive and dependent) vis‐a‐vis an asset (active and in control).…”