Women Ageing: Changing Identities, Challenging Myths

by Bernard,Miriam; Bernard,Miriam

• ISBN13: 9780415189439
• ISBN10: 0415189438
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-01-24
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This volume is primarily concerned with the lives of adult women and discusses key themes of identity; myths and reality and managing change. The book looks at the influence of ethnicity and race, disability and sexual orientation.

Author Biography

Miriam Bernard is Head of School and Professor of Social Gerontology Judith Phillips is Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Gerontology Linda Machin is Part time lecturer in Counselling and Applied Social Studies Val Harding Davies is Lecturer in Counselling, all at School of Social Relations, Keele University. Miriam Bernard (BA, PhD) is Professor of Social Gerontology and Head of the School of Social Relations, Keele University. Pat Chambers (BA, PGCE, MA) joined the School of Social Relations, Keele University, in June 2000 as a lecturer in social work. Gillian Granville (BA, MA, RN, RM, RHN, CPT) is Research and Development Manager at the Beth Johnson Foundation, a national organisation based in Staffordshire which aims to develop and research innovative practice with women and men over 50 years of age. Val Harding Davies (BEd, Dip. Counselling, MA, Cert. Counselling Supervision, Advanced Diploma) is Director of Counselling Courses at Keele University. Linda Machin (MA) has been actively engaged in research and practice related to bereavement since 1979. and is a lecturer at Keele University. Judith Phillips (BA, Dip. Soc. Sci., MSc, CQSW, PhD) is Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Gerontology and Director of the Social Work Programme at Keele University. Mo Ray (BA, MSc, CQSW, Dip. Geron. PhD) graduated in 1988 from the Open University and subsequently qualified as a social worker, receiving her Masters degree in 1990 from the University of London. She works as an Associate Lecturer for the Open University and as a Research Fellow at Keele. Julie Skucha (BA, MA, PhD) is currently Research Fellow in the Centre for Research into Quality at the University of Central England.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	x
List of contributors	xi
Acknowledgements	xiv
Foreword	xv
Women ageing: changing identities, challenging myths	1	(22)
Miriam Bernard
Pat Chambers
Gillian Granville
Introduction	1	(1)
Rethinking theory	2	(2)
Perspectives from critical gerontology	4	(4)
Feminist perspectives	8	(1)
The development of feminism	9	(3)
Biographical and life-course perspectives	12	(4)
The impact of these perspectives on our own work	16	(1)
About this book	17	(4)
Conclusion	21	(2)
`Women's work' and the transition to retirement	23	(17)
Julie Skucha
Miriam Bernard
Introduction	23	(1)
The study	24	(3)
`Women's work'	27	(4)
Women don't retire	31	(3)
Preparing for later life	34	(3)
Conclusion: reflections on theory and practice	37	(3)
Working carers: caring workers	40	(18)
Judith Phillips
Introduction	40	(1)
The demographics of care and employment	41	(1)
Identity of working carers	42	(2)
Myths and misconceptions	44	(8)
The experience of paid and unpaid caring	52	(4)
Discussion: developing a life-course perspective	56	(2)
Our ageing selves: reflections on growing older	58	(16)
Miriam Bernard
Val Harding Davies
Introduction	58	(1)
Exploring the existing literature	59	(6)
Reflections on growing older	65	(5)
Looking forward	70	(1)
Our ageing selves	71	(3)
Menopause: a time of private change to a mature identity	74	(19)
Gillian Granville
Introduction	74	(1)
Current discourses on menopause	75	(5)
Seeking to understand women's experiences	80	(2)
Menopause as a time of change	82	(4)
Recognising the changing private self	86	(1)
Hiding from the public gaze	87	(4)
Conclusion	91	(2)
Older women undergraduates: choices and challenges	93	(17)
Patsy Marshall
Introduction	93	(2)
The study	95	(1)
The findings	96	(11)
Conclusion: combating the myths	107	(3)
Women's voices in bereavement	110	(17)
Linda Machin
Introduction	110	(1)
Women's voices in the theory of grief	110	(5)
The experience of grief	115	(4)
Mid-life and older women's responses to loss	119	(3)
Women's coping styles	122	(2)
Discussion	124	(1)
Conclusion	125	(2)
Widowhood in later life	127	(21)
Pat Chambers
Introduction	127	(1)
Reviewing the literature	128	(2)
Theoretical perspectives	130	(3)
An alternative approach	133	(2)
The diverse experience of later life widowhood	135	(11)
Challenging the stereotype	146	(1)
Conclusion	146	(2)
Older women, long-term marriage and care	148	(20)
Mo Ray
Introduction	148	(1)
Myself and my research	149	(1)
Examining the literature	150	(5)
The study	155	(10)
Concluding discussion	165	(3)
Women ageing: changing policy, challenging practice	168	(11)
Judith Phillips
Miriam Bernard
Introduction	168	(1)
Changing policy, challenging practice	169	(4)
Women researching: reflections on method	173	(1)
Women writing: reflections on the collaborative process	174	(1)
Women ageing: reflections on our own ageing	175	(2)
Conclusion: where to now?	177	(2)
Bibliography	179	(19)
Index	198