Research Unit in Behaviour & Social Issues

The Social Aspects of Ageing in Cyprus

The research project for the Social Problems of Ageing in Cyprus began in January 2007 and was completed in November 2009.

Funders

  • The Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation and
  • RUBSI

Contributors

Host Organization: RUBSI

Funding:  Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation

Scientific Coordinator: Dr Constantinos Phellas, Associate Professor at School of Humanities,Social Sciences & Law,  Intercollege, and Director of RUBSI

Coordinator:Christina Loizou, Sociologist - Researcher, Member of the ExecutiveBoard of RUBSI, Representative of Cyprus in the European NetworkTHENAPA II (Thematic Network for Adapted Physical Activity for theElderly)

End Users:

  1. Social Welfare Services
  2. Cyprus Municipalities Association
  3. Cyprus Family Planning Association

Research’s Aims

  1. To examine the degree of dependence of dependence of the elderly on their families and/or on state services
  2. To investigate the extent of those people’s social exclusion
  3. To research the impact of ageing on their quality of life
  4. To investigate the interviewees’ social & psychological implications due to ageing

Methodology

Data was collected through 100 in-depth interviews with elderly people that belong to the following categories:

  • People residing at their homes and are self-assisted
  • People residing at their homes or with their children and are cared by their children or other relatives
  • People residing at their homes and are cared by a foreign or other domestic helper / carer
  • People residing at their homes and are cared by the State Care Services for the Elderly  
  • People residing at their homes and visit the Day Care Centers  
  • People residing at State Homes for the Elderly
  • People residing at Private Homes for the Elderly.

The following themes were explored through the in-depth interviews:

  • Demographics
  • Type of residence according to the sampling according to the categories stated in the sampling
  • Degree of self-care/ dependence
  • Degree of biological ageing (illness, health complications etc.)
  • Degree of keeping active (professional activity, natural activity, social, financial, spiritual activity etc.)
  • Impactof change – due to ageing – on their relationships with other groups ofpeople or with the social public in general (it will be useful at alater stage for the analysis of social networks)
  • Problemsaccruing because of ageing (dependence, immobility, depression,loneliness, seclusion, change in sexual activity, nutritional habits,exercise, etc.)
  • Level of satisfaction or lack of satisfaction with regard to the services and care they are provided with
  • Levelof life satisfaction (from their activities, from their children andgrandchildren, their financial conditions, their social environment)

The findings were presented at the University of Nicosia on the 2nd of October 2009, on the occasion of the World Day for the Elderly, in the presence of Mrs Soteroula Charalambous, Minister of Labour and Social Insurance.

21st May. 2010