International journal of aging & human development
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Int J Aging Hum Dev · Jan 2008
Embracing opposites: meanings of growing old as narrated by people aged 85.
Many old people suffer from prolonged and multiple bodily ailments, new diseases, and increased risk for disadvantages and losses in life. Aging also means becoming mature and wise. ⋯ Four themes were formulated: embracing weakness and strength, embracing slowness and swiftness of time, embracing reconciliation and regret, and embracing connectedness and loneliness. From these analyses, growing old was described as--maintaining one's identity in spite of the changes that come with aging and, embracing opposites--being changed and feeling being the same.
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The death of a child is a traumatic, nonnormative family life event. Although parental bereavement has received substantial attention, little research has focused on extended family members affected by a child's death, and still less on how multiple family members perceive and respond to one another following the loss. Guided by a life course perspective, this article examines social support between grandparents and their adult children in the aftermath of infant death. ⋯ All families reported significant support from at least one grandparent and nearly all families described ambivalent relationships that complicated support. Gender, family lineage, and family history were major influences. Multiple family perspectives about a significant life event contribute to our understanding about the intersection between individual and family life.