Out of time: seniors and shift workers suffer social exclusion
Researchers in the United Kingdom have found that older people and employees who do not work the typical 'office' hours from 9 to 5 each day are more likely to feel excluded from society. 'Feeling part of society usually involves participating in certain activities such as sports, the arts, volunteering or social networking,' explains research coordinator Dr Matt Barnes of the National Centre for Social Research in the United Kingdom. 'Our research shows that older people and those who work unusual hours face particular barriers to participating in such activities.' Armed with a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the United Kingdom, the researchers found that the government believes the key to strengthening one's physical and emotional well-being is to work. Failure to engage in such activity fuels social exclusion and low-income issues. However, the study also highlights how working irregular hours can impact a person's chances of engaging with and feeling integrated into society. Around 66% of workers work at unusual times. Various services and facilities have started to adapt to people's activities, but those who fall into the 'unusual times' category continue to find their leisure time constrained by the limited availability of services and by a lack of other people with whom to spend their free time. These workers also have a harder time participating in face-to-face social and relational activities versus people who work a standard week, which experts describe as Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. The problem is exacerbated when people have to work either in the evening or at the weekend. People who work in the evening usually spend almost seven hours on participatory activities each week. Those who work on Sundays usually spend over 5 hours on such activities, while people who work 'normal' hours spend more than 8 hours on activities each week. 'By getting people to keep a diary and analysing the way they spend their time over a 24-hour period,' says Dr Barnes, 'we have been able to understand how they "participate" and what might be done to create greater social inclusion.' The results of the study also show that older people have more problems when trying to take part in activities. More than 1 million people face social relations and social exclusion problems. The researchers suggest that people can develop social networks and gain support by spending time with friends. This is of particular significance for older people who are about to undergo life-changing experiences like illness or retirement. Such experiences can raise the risk of someone feeling socially isolated. Older people can also foster a sense of independence when they spend time with people outside the household, according to the team. In terms of gender differences, the study found that the chances of women spending time with friends on social networking activities is higher than those for men. It should be noted, however, that their time is limited by other activities like housework and caregiving. 'It is clear that social participation is important for an improved quality of life, both in older age and among those still working,' explains Dr Barnes. 'Improving the accessibility of public transport and other facilities and services would go a long way towards increasing social inclusion in Britain.'For more information, please visit: National Centre for Social Research:http://www.natcen.ac.uk/Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC):http://www.esrc.ac.uk/
Countries
United Kingdom