Living and Caring in Fourth Age Relationships: Exploring Concepts of Couplehood and Transition

Perry, Emma ORCID: 0000-0002-7973-5055 (2024) Living and Caring in Fourth Age Relationships: Exploring Concepts of Couplehood and Transition. In: British Society of Gerontology Annual Conference, 3-5th July 2024, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Despite a growing ageing population and changes in how relationships are formed and maintained, the area of romantic relationships in later life has received limited attention, particularly in relation to the fourth age. This can be a period where life changes such as becoming a carer for a spouse/partner or one of the couple entering residential or nursing care can have a significant impact upon the romantic relationship. An area which is yet to be fully explored is new relationships in later life, including the formation of new relationships in permanent care settings. This paper will consider findings of a literature review into new relationships in permanent care. The paper will explore how existing sociological and psychological concepts ‘couplehood’ and ‘transitions’ can help to understand the perspective of the non-care dwelling spouse/partner. Couplehood, a concept which has been applied to spouse carers and moves into care, provides a relational means of exploring the existing long-term relationship and its context along with the individuals’ responses to the new relationship. A transitional lens acknowledges continuity and change, yet the dominant understanding of transitions as fixed stages is challenged when considering new relationships in later life. Through exploring the subjective lived experiences of individuals, transitions come to be seen as diverse, fluid, and multifaceted. This paper suggests that by using the concepts of ‘couplehood’ and ‘transition’, we can better identify and respond to the relational, emotional, and experiential needs of couples when new relationships are formed in permanent care settings.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	relationships, older people, continuity, couplehood
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Health and Social Care
Depositing User:	Emma Perry
Date Deposited:	25 Sep 2024 15:13
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2024 15:15
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/14370

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