Research Team: Quality of Life Quality of Care

Virginia Simpson-Young

PhD Candidate in Gerontology
Ageing and Human Development Research Group
Faculty of Health Sciences
Cumberland Campus (G Block)
The University of Sydney NSW 2141 AUSTRALIA
Phone: +61 2 9351 9590
Fax: +61 2 9851 9228
Email

PhD Research Project

Meat Trays, Marginalisation and the Mechanisms of Social Capital Creation: an Ethnographic Study of a Registered Club and its Older Users
supervisor: Dr Cherry Russell

The United Nations has identified research into social participation as a key element in the strategy to address the social, health and economic implications of population ageing. This ethnographic study has sought to discover the nature, meaning and role of Australian seniors’ participation in a licensed social club. Participation was found to contribute to a sense of control and belonging, a positive self-identity and to social integration, by enabling seniors to access resources for everyday living, and to develop and maintain valued informal and formal networks. Social capital was created and maintained through the operation of these networks.

Presentations and Publications

• Conference Publications
  Simpson-Young, V. (2006). Club-going as a strategy for managing change and maintaining social connectedness in later life: an ethnographic account of the day-to-older club-goer. In Shanley, C. & Roberts, T. (Eds). Proceedings of the 5th National Conference of Emerging Researchers in Aging: Research Informing Positive Outcomes in Older Persons, Sydney, 21st November 2006. University of Sydney,pps. 179-182. [download .pdf]

• Conference Presentations
  Simpson-Young, V. Russell, C. (2007) Socio-cultural meanings of club-going among Australian seniors: an ethnographic study Paper to be presented to the 8th APRU Doctoral Students Conference: The Emerging Future of the Pacific Rim: Alliances, Collaboration and Networking, Keio University, Tokyo, July 30th – August 3rd 2007. [download .pdf]
• Simpson-Young, V. Russell, C. (2006). Club involvement as a strategy for maintaining health and wellbeing in the context of late life loss: trajectories to increased club participation. Paper presented to the [[i||5th National Conference of The Australian Sociological Association], 4-7 December 2006. Perth.
• Simpson-Young, V., Russell, C. (2006). Registered club use by older people to maintain health and wellbeing in later life. Proceedings of the University of Sydney Fifth Health Research Conference, Leura NSW, 9-10 November 2006, Sydney: University of Sydney.
• Simpson-Young, V., & Russell, C. (2002). The Licensed Club in the Lives of Older Men and Women: an Ethnographic Study. Paper presented to the 6th Global Conference of the International Federation on Aging, Perth.