title: Aging in precarious times: Exploring the role of gender in shaping views on aging.
abstract: The present study explores views on aging and how these differ according to gender and precariousness status. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 men and 10 women with secure and insecure pensions. Themes like fear of illness and health decline were more present in men, while fear of losing their attractiveness in old age more present among women. For all participants, loss of autonomy and social roles represented a negative view of old age, while activity in the form of work, volunteering, or leisure represented positive views. Differences in views on aging were related to pension security and less to gender. Women with insecure pension plans displayed the most negative views of aging. Implications for practice and policy to prevent health and gender inequalities are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Babeş-Bolyai University , Cluj Napoca , Romania.|b Department of Education and Psychology, Division of Qualitative Social and Education Research , Freie Universität Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Catrinel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Craciun
authors.affiliation: b Department of Education and Psychology, Division of Qualitative Social and Education Research , Freie Universität Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Flick
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010415:Pensions; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Aging; gender; precariousness; qualitative research; views on aging; women