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In sickness and in health: Intimacy, health in the ageing process
Bryan S. Turner
Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Anne Riggs
Centre for the Body and Society, Deakin University
Abstract
In recent sociology there has been much interest in the development of the theory of the self and identity. Of course the problem of the self has been a continuous, perennial topic in social philosophy and social theory throughout the development of sociology as a discipline (Taylor 1989). This traditional analysis of the self has been elaborated by, and developed through, debates in feminism, sociology of the emotions and postmodern theory. These theoretical developments have challenged conventional assumptions about the unitary character of self, taken-for-granted assumptions about the nature of gender and sex, and the comparability of assumptions about the self in different societies. In this paper we cannot go into the complexity of this debate but it is important to note that in contemporary literature there is consistent confusion about conceptualisation and terminology. For example, it is important to distinguish between individualism as a doctrine which had its origin in seventeenth century debates about property, the historical development of the notion of the individual which can be traced from Greek culture onwards, the notion of individuality which has a strong romantic flavour and which developed around the romantic poets and the cultural theories of the nineteenth century, and such processes as individuation which can be regarded as a bureaucratic process of identification of individuals for such purposes as taxation and regulation (Abercrombie et a11986).
Another classic problem in the discussion of the self relates to the status of the body with respect of selfhood, personality and individuality. The classical philosophical paradox is that, while we may retain a strong sense of our personal continuity over time, our bodies are subject to inevitable processes of maturation, decay, decline and death. A personal sense of continuity is psychological and existentially crucial for wellbeing because disruptions to the subjective continuity of the self are threatening to mental health. The continuity of our social selves (that is in relation to individuation) is also significant for social and political reasons: impersonation, going missing and major identity changes in transsexualism, have significant social consequences for our status and location in society. In this article we are primarily concerned to develop some theoretical and empirical understanding of the complex relationship between the continuity of personal identity, the social networks within which these identities are sustained and the impact of sickness on the capacity for intimacy and social relationships.
The ageing process is crucial in understanding the maintenance of personal networks, interpersonal intimacy and identity. Major illness is a direct threat to social networks and domestic intimacy, but it is also the case that the loss of rewarding social relationships is a mechanism in the process of becoming sick. Emile Durkheim's research on Suicide (1951) and Brown and Harris's (1978) research have given a clear indication of the importance of significant sustaining interpersonal relations for the preservation of mental and physical well-being. Gerontological research has now convincingly shown that sexual intimacy and interpersonal relations continue to be important into old age long after retirement. However, particularly for women, it is the case that the elderly run out of appropriate partners long before they run out of libidinous desire. It is this erosion of personal networks that makes the ageing process one of increasing loneliness (Elias 1985). In this preliminary investigation we examine the intimate sexual partnerships of a sample of Victorian Australians who have experienced significant disruption to their lives, typically through major personal illness. This preliminary research will lay the basis for a more systematic study of ageing, intimacy and health.
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