Normative ageism and intimacy autonomy in later life: a conceptual model for active ageing

Purpose This paper aims to conceptualise how normative expectations about “appropriate” ageing regulate older adults’ intimate lives, when this becomes a barrier to active ageing, and proposes intimacy autonomy as a dimension of active ageing frameworks. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. By using minority stress theory (Meyer, 2003), it develops a model that explains how normative ageism leads to anticipated stigma and identity threat related to later-life intimacy, resulting in self-regulation. Intimacy autonomy is introduced as a new construct, with family, community and care settings as potential moderators. Findings Ageism is not only a result of the discrimination of older people but also through normative ageism that leads to the transformation of positive experiences of intimacy into stigma and identity threat and encourages concealment, avoidance and foreclosure. Self-regulation is theorised to restrict connectedness, autonomy and participation. Family, community and care settings can either reinforce or interrupt the process. Originality/value This paper proposes a conceptual framework linking normative ageism to active ageing outcomes through the mechanisms of anticipated stigma, identity threat and self-regulation. In doing so, this paper tries to introduce a new variable, which is “Intimacy autonomy”.