Centre for Policy on Ageing



"When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple" — Red Hatters cope with getting old
Author(s)	M Elise Radina, Annette Lynch, Marybeth C Stalp
Journal title	Journal of Women & Aging, vol 20, nos 1/2, 2008
Pages	pp 99-114
Source	http://www.tandfonline.com
Keywords	Older women ; Group activities ; Clubs ; Friendship ; Qualitative Studies ; United States of America.
Annotation	The Red Hat Society began in 1998, when its founder Sue Ellen Cooper bought a red fedora on impulse while browsing in a charity shop. She found that she herself changed with the purchase of the hat, and wanted other women to have this liberated feeling about their behaviour and appearance. This ethnographic study examined women's friendships in Red Hat Society (RHS) chapters. Qualitative data included in-depth interviews (n=25), a focus group interview (n=7), participant observation, and examination of RHS publications. Results suggest that participation in the RHS aids in developing and enhancing positive attitude about self and ageing that contributes to overall well-being; offers the opportunity to obtain instrumental and emotional support; and provides social connections that prevent feelings of social isolation. Collectively, these findings highlight the potential buffering of RHS participation in women's lives. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-080429207 A
Classmark	BD: HW: HY: DS:SX: 3DP: 7T
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing

...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.