KEY FINDINGS OF 25 YEARS LONGITUDINAL AGING STUDY AMSTERDAM REPRESENTED BY KEY WORKS OF ART

摘要

Concepts that figure prominently in societal discourse about ageing in the Netherlands include vitality, healthy ageing, autonomy and independence. These concepts are viewed oftentimes as valuable goals for older people to strive for, but are not always attainable by all. Concerns about potential damaging effects to older adults of a discourse that promotes partly unrealistic goals call for increased attention to so-called counterexamples. Such counterexamples may provide alternative or additionals views of old age, by promoting attainable goals and valuable outcomes. In this presentation I highlight a selection of paintings from European masters, from different art periods, which were used to communicate key findings of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) to its participants. The key findings and artworks were bundled in a gift book for participants, as a token of appreciation for their participation and in celebration of the 25th year of the LASA study. In addition the aim was to highlight valuable contributions of seniors to society, but also to discuss aspects of struggle, hardship, and ill-health of older people. The selection was the result of a collaborative effort with an art historian who identified works that figured older people, or views of old age, which were then associated with key LASA findings. Artworks include the following: Reading old woman (Gerard Dou), Cimon and Pero (Pieter-Paul Rubens), Sorrowful old man (Van Gogh), Old peasant woman (Paula Modersohn-Becker) and more.