Norris-Baker C, Scheidt R J
Kansas State University, Manhattan.
Int J Aging Hum Dev. 1994;38(3):181-202. doi: 10.2190/DJHH-RY74-1MVV-DDUM.
This research, grounded in a contextual view of environmental stress, employed an experiential field approach to explore outcomes of the continuing rural crisis of the past decade for elderly residents of four small Kansas towns. These rural changes threaten the survival of many towns, and affect their elderly residents, who often have enduring economic, social, and psychological investments in their homes and communities. At the same time, changes associated with aging may lead to transitions in the experience of home and community for these elderly individuals, regardless of the town's health. The two sources of change may have multi-faceted impacts on the well-being of the elderly individuals who experience them. Aspects of the research described here focus on environmental stressors related to housing and the meaning of attachment to home within economically-threatened communities. Some findings presented support previous research, while others reflect the region's unique socio-historical environment as a part of the Western Frontier. Implications for policy alternatives and the well-being of rural elderly are discussed.
本研究基于对环境压力的情境化视角，采用经验性实地研究方法，探讨过去十年持续的农村危机对堪萨斯州四个小镇老年居民的影响。这些农村变化威胁着许多小镇的生存，并影响着其老年居民，他们往往在自己的家园和社区有着持久的经济、社会和心理投入。与此同时，与老龄化相关的变化可能导致这些老年人在家园和社区体验上的转变，无论小镇的状况如何。这两种变化来源可能会对经历这些变化的老年人的福祉产生多方面的影响。这里所描述的研究方面聚焦于与住房相关的环境压力源，以及在经济受到威胁的社区中对家的依恋意义。所呈现的一些研究结果支持了先前的研究，而其他结果则反映了该地区作为西部边疆一部分的独特社会历史环境。文中还讨论了对政策选择和农村老年人福祉的影响。
