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Papers by Marjaana Seppänen

International journal of ageing and later life, May 17, 2024

Sosiaalilääketieteellinen aikakauslehti, Aug 31, 2018

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Sep 1, 2011

European Journal of Ageing, Jan 31, 2023

In line with current policies and service developments related to palliative care, more people ar... more In line with current policies and service developments related to palliative care, more people are dying at home. This situation has provoked discussions about the importance of non-medical issues related to death. The process of dying is often long, with many phases, and the social aspect is a major part of it. Our focus in this article is on dying as a social process. Social relationships are significant and play a meaningful role in enhancing the well-being of older adults approaching the end of life. Meaningful social relationships tend to change over time; however, and the process of dying may exacerbate such changes in and challenge these relationships. The aim of our study was to examine how social relationships are experienced and (re)constructed among older adults (70-83 years old) during the process of dying, in a Finnish context. We were interested in the nature and type of these relationships, and in the possible new forms of expression that may emerge during this process. Our empirical data were based on interviews with seven older adults who were close to death. The analysis revealed processes of exclusion from existing relations. At the same time, we observed new and unexpected relations being initiated, which sometimes became meaningful and supportive. The results highlighted the role of expectations and importance of analysing exclusion from a life-course perspective.

Ageing International, Feb 21, 2023

As populations across the world age, there is a recognised need for promoting social participatio... more As populations across the world age, there is a recognised need for promoting social participation in older adults. Previous studies related to social participation have addressed that interactions perceived as meaningful may improve quality of life in old age. However, what is less clear is the nature of such participation from the perspective of older adults, as the vast majority of studies have been quantitative. The present study aimed to explore what characterises social participation that contributes to a meaningful everyday life, from the viewpoint of independently living Finnish older adults. Thematic analysis was used as an interpretative method drawing on semi-structured in-depth interviews with six residents aged 82 to 97 years from one senior housing facility. The analysis showed that social participation perceived as meaningful involved caring reciprocal interactions with people they connected with; having the freedom to make autonomous decisions and influence matters that affected their own or others' everyday life; and, on a more abstract level, feeling significant as a person. It furthermore fostered independence and companionship as well as reduced loneliness. To describe social participation that is perceived as meaningful from a theoretical perspective, we used Levasseur and colleagues' (2010) taxonomy and found that such involvement creates a sense of connectedness, a sense of belonging and relates to the concepts of social integration, social networking and social engagement. This type of involvement is associated with enhanced quality of life and a more meaningful life, highlighting the importance of creating environments where older adults can socially connect.

Ageing & Society, Feb 5, 2016

Using a qualitative approach, this article examines how the experiences of emotional loneliness a... more Using a qualitative approach, this article examines how the experiences of emotional loneliness are embedded in the everyday lives and relationships of older adults. Ten in-depth interviews were conducted in  with older people who reported feeling lonely, often or all the time, during a cohort study in southern Finland. The research reveals the multifaceted nature of loneliness and its causes. Behind emotional loneliness, we identified lost and unfulfilled relationships, involving the loss or lack of a partner, the absence of a meaningful friendship, complex parenthood and troubling childhood experiences. Most of the interviewees have faced loneliness that only began in old age, but for some, loneliness has been present for nearly a lifetime.