The New Woman's premature aging in the context of patriarchal marriage at the fin de siècle is the subject of this article, which leverages Sarah Grand's The Heavenly Twins (1893/1992) for analysis. Female degeneration is the core of the novel, featuring three young, married New Women unable to meet the demanding national ideals of rebirth, dying in their twenties. A consequence of their military husbands' embrace of progress at the imperial frontier is the moral and sexual degeneration that leads to their premature decline. The late Victorian societal structure, as I discuss in the article, expedited the aging of women within the confines of marriage by adhering to a patriarchal framework. The symptoms of mental and physical distress affecting twenties-era Victorian wives were, unfortunately, inextricably intertwined with the insidious impact of syphilis and the oppressive patriarchal society. In ultimately contesting the male-centered ideology of progress, Grand unveils the late Victorian reality's constraints on the New Woman's vision of female-led regeneration.

This study probes the legitimacy of the formal ethical framework enshrined in the Mental Capacity Act of 2005, particularly as it pertains to people with dementia in England and Wales. Research on individuals with dementia must be subjected to the approval process of Health Research Authority committees, in accordance with the Act, irrespective of any connection to healthcare organizations or service users. Two ethnographic dementia studies on dementia, that do not include any engagement with the healthcare sector, are discussed here as examples, requiring HRA ethical review. These events warrant examination of the authority and the reciprocal responsibilities within the governance of dementia. State-enforced capacity legislation functions to govern individuals with dementia, automatically categorizing them as healthcare subjects based on their diagnosis. RVX-208 This diagnosis embodies administrative medicalization, making dementia a medical concern and those diagnosed with it the responsibility of the formal healthcare system. However, post-diagnostic health and care services are not provided to many individuals with dementia residing in England and Wales. This institutional structure, characterized by strong governance but lacking supportive measures, undermines the contractual citizenship of people with dementia, in which state and citizen rights and obligations ought to be mutually reinforcing. Resistance to this system features prominently in my analysis of ethnographic research methods. This resistance, although not necessarily deliberate, hostile, difficult, or perceived as such, encapsulates micropolitical effects that oppose power or control, and sometimes originates from the systems themselves, not simply from individual acts of resistance. Unintentional resistance can result from routine failures to fulfill the specific requirements of bureaucratic governance structures. A calculated defiance of restrictions that seem inconvenient, inappropriate, or immoral may also occur, potentially raising suspicions of malpractice and professional misconduct. I propose that the increased size of governmental bureaucracies makes resistance more likely. Simultaneously, the likelihood of both intentional and unintentional violations rises, and inversely, the capacity for their detection and remediation lessens, owing to the significant resources needed to manage such a system effectively. Despite the ethical and bureaucratic upheaval, the plight of people with dementia often goes unnoticed. Dementia sufferers are seldom included in the committees that make determinations about their research involvement. A further consequence of the research economy in dementia is the particularly disenfranchising nature of ethical governance. Dementia sufferers, according to the state, necessitate a unique approach, independent of their wishes. Conversely, resistance to morally questionable governance might initially appear ethically sound, yet I posit that such a straightforward dichotomy is somewhat deceptive.

Further research into the migration patterns of Cuban seniors to Spain seeks to correct the scholarly deficit in understanding these migrations, expanding beyond the simple concept of lifestyle mobility; recognizing the influence of transnational diaspora networks; and focusing on the Cuban community abroad, outside of the United States. Older Cuban adults' migration to the Canary Islands, as documented in this case study, is shown to be driven by a desire for better material circumstances and a reliance on diasporic connections. However, this process inevitably creates feelings of displacement and longing at the same time, particularly in their old age. The combination of a mixed-method approach and an emphasis on the life course of migrants facilitates a critical evaluation of how cultural and social forces shape aging within the field of migration studies. Consequently, this study offers a richer comprehension of human mobility in counter-diasporic migration, viewed through the lens of aging, emphasizing the relationship between emigration, life cycle stages, and the fortitude and achievements of those who emigrate in their later years.

This study analyzes how the qualities of social networks among older adults are associated with their levels of loneliness. Our mixed-methods study, comprised of 165 surveys and a subset of 50 in-depth interviews, investigates the contrasting ways in which strong and weak social connections provide support against loneliness. Studies employing regression techniques show that the frequency of contact with strong social networks is associated with lower loneliness, contrasting with the effect of the simple count of these networks. In opposition to the impact of strong ties, a higher density of weak social bonds is linked to a reduced sense of isolation. Analysis of our qualitative interview data indicates that close relationships can be jeopardized by physical separation, interpersonal conflicts, or the weakening of the emotional connection. However, a larger number of less-strong connections, on the other hand, enhances the likelihood of support and involvement when required, promoting reciprocal interactions, and affording opportunities to join new social communities and networks. Previous research projects have examined the diverse forms of support derived from potent and less potent social links. RVX-208 This research demonstrates the differing support structures provided by strong and weak social connections, emphasizing the value of a diverse social network in alleviating feelings of isolation. Our study points to the crucial part played by changes in social networks in later life, and the accessibility of social bonds, in understanding how social interactions lessen feelings of loneliness.

This journal's ongoing discourse over the past three decades regarding age and ageing, particularly through the lens of gender and sexuality, is explored further in this article. I am motivated by a specific population of single Chinese women living in the metropolitan areas of Beijing and Shanghai. 24 individuals, aged between 1962 and 1990, were invited to delve into their imagined retirement futures, considering the Chinese cultural context, with a mandatory retirement age of 55 or 50 for women, and 60 for men. To achieve a deeper understanding of retirement and aging, I aim to include this group of single women in my research. Furthermore, I want to recover and record their visions of retirement, and ultimately use their personal stories to examine, and challenge, common assumptions about aging, including the idea of 'successful aging'. The empirical record showcases the desire of single women for financial autonomy, yet the concrete steps needed to achieve it are frequently overlooked. They also value the diversity of their retirement dreams, ranging from the places they hope to live to the people they wish to share their lives with and the experiences they hope to pursue – encompassing both established and new ambitions. Following the example of 'yanglao,' a term they utilize in place of 'retirement,' I argue that the term 'formative ageing' offers a more inclusive and less prescriptive approach to the study of aging.

A historical examination of post-WWII Yugoslavia explores the state's initiatives for modernizing and unifying the Yugoslav peasantry, contrasting them with strategies employed in other communist nations. Though Yugoslavia sought to establish a 'Yugoslav way' distinct from Soviet socialism, its approach and underlying objectives were very similar to those of Soviet modernization. This article investigates the evolving role of vracara (elder women folk healers) within the wider framework of the state's modernization initiative. Just as Soviet babki were seen as a disruption to Russia's new social norms, the Yugoslav state used anti-folk-medicine propaganda to target the vracare. It further maintains that reproductive health care represented a stage in a woman's life course when the state attempted to involve itself in her well-being. The opening segment of the article spotlights the bureaucratic effort aimed at diminishing the influence of village wise women, achieved through propaganda campaigns and the establishment of medical facilities in isolated villages. RVX-208 Although the medicalization process ultimately proved inadequate in establishing complete science-based medical services in all regions of the Yugoslav Republic, the unfavorable image of the seasoned healer, a crone, persisted well after the initial decade following the war. The latter portion of the article delves into the gendered stereotype of the old crone, exploring her transformation into a symbol of everything archaic and undesirable in contrast to contemporary medicine.

The worldwide susceptibility to COVID-19's morbidity and mortality was heightened for older adults in nursing homes. Nursing homes implemented visitation restrictions in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 outbreak in Israel, this study delved into the viewpoints and experiences of family caregivers supporting nursing home residents, and how they addressed the challenges.