OLD AGE IN GREENLAND – NEGOTIATING IDENTITY AND PLACE IN SOCIETY
As part of the Danish commonwealth, yet culturally and geographically distinct territory, Greenland has a culturally and socially adjusted version of the Nordic welfare system. Social change and increase in life expectancy have been rapid. The significant social, demographic and cultural changes mea...
| Published in: | Innovation in Aging |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6228099/ https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igy023.1385 |
| Summary: | As part of the Danish commonwealth, yet culturally and geographically distinct territory, Greenland has a culturally and socially adjusted version of the Nordic welfare system. Social change and increase in life expectancy have been rapid. The significant social, demographic and cultural changes mean that meanings of old age need to be negotiated at individual, intergenerational and societal level. This study uses material from semi-structured interviews with older Greenlanders. Through analysis of the accounts on daily life and experiences on ageing, we investigate how the older Greenlanders are constructing their identity and place in society as they age. We find that the traditional sources of meaning making and identity construction are related to nature, kinship and Greenlandic food. Societal and cultural changes, such as family diaspora and introduction of active ageing paradigm based policies create disruptions. Also individual age-related functional changes limit access to the sources of meaning making. |
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