Infantilisation among married couples in old age

Abstract

In the area of intimate partner abuse among older people, we encounter a theoretical and empirical void as regards the impact of retirement on the incidence of infantilisation. This paper looks at whether infantilisation occurs among married couples in old age and how it is perceived by older people and their formal carers. Infantilisation is a form of psychological abuse in which a person in a position of power treats another person as if he or she were a child. The use of childlike language, exaggerated intonation and a higher pitched voice are its most distinctive features. Although one can be infantilised anytime during adult life, infantilisation may have the most serious consequences for people in old age, especially if it is linked to excessive control and other actions that deny an old person autonomy and dignified treatment. This study builds upon the information obtained from 11 in-depth interviews with pensioners aged 70 and above and a focus group with four professional home carers. The data was analysed in accordance with the methodological guidelines of grounded theory, and the findings were clarified by two expert interviews. The results of the analysis indicate that infantilisation does appear among married couples in old age, but is perceived differently by formal carers and the older people themselves.