Assessing the prevalence of gendered ageism among long-term care employees

Loy-Ashe, Tarah, Hawkins, Brent, Van Puymbroeck, Marieke, Lewis, Stephen and Hays, Antionette (2024) Assessing the prevalence of gendered ageism among long-term care employees. Journal of Long-Term Care, 2024. 77 - 89. ISSN 2516-9122

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Abstract

Ageism, discrimination based on age, particularly against older adults, intersects with other forms of discrimination, including sexism. In long-term care settings, gendered ageism can manifest in various ways, influencing both the quality and type of care older adults receive based on their gender. Understanding and addressing ageism in these settings is essential to ensuring the dignity, respect, and quality of life for older adults. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore long-term care (LTC) employees’ attitudes towards age and gender. A theoretical framework of feminist disability theory and compulsory youthfulness allows for an intersectional critique of ageism, sexism, and ableism and how each contributes to the oppression of long-living adults (age 80 and over) and disabled long-living adults. Triangulation of data was achieved through surveys, interviews, and artifacts. Sixty employees completed an on-line survey consisting of demographic questions (age, race, gender, years employed in LTC, highest level of education, employment) and the Fraboni Scale of Ageism during the Coronavirus pandemic between August 21, 2020 and September 22, 2020. Data were analyzed using an independent samples t-test, One Way ANOVA, and One Sample Median Test. Twenty-one of these employees also participated in a phone interview during the time period of survey collection. Interview data were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, then thematic analysis. Cultural artifacts available to the primary researcher, and relating to the study, were noted. Considering the primary researcher was not allowed to enter the facility, the types of artifacts collected included social media posts via Twitter, Facebook, and the organization’s blog. Blog and social media posts ranged from September 1, 2020 to February 1, 2021. Mixing of qualitative and quantitative data was completed for the final results by merging them via side by side comparison table.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://journal.ilpnetwork.org/
Additional Information:	© 2024 The Author(s)
Divisions:	LSE
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Date Deposited:	05 Mar 2024 16:48
Last Modified:	18 Mar 2024 17:24
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/122187

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