Maintaining autonomy: How older persons with chronic conditions and their significant others interpret, navigate, and overcome everyday difficulties.
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BORIS DOI
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
37677079
Description
BACKGROUND
The vast majority of older adults live in their own homes. Many of them live with chronic conditions that lead to activity limitations and participation restrictions. To support them adequately, we need to better understand how they cope with everyday difficulties.
AIM
To identify and examine difficulties in everyday life older people with chronic conditions who live in private homes face and how they and their significant others interpret, navigate, and overcome these difficulties.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
We conducted a focus group interview with 10 participants including eight older adults with chronic conditions and two of their significant others. We then transcribed the interviews verbatim and thematically analysed them.
RESULTS
We generated the three closely interrelated themes struggling not to lose control, a shifting balance between resources and environmental challenges, and negotiating independence and interdependence. Participants interpreted the difficulties they faced as multicausal. Their main goal was maintaining autonomy, agency, and a positive identity. They employed individual, creative strategies to achieve these goals.
CONCLUSIONS
Older persons with chronic conditions prioritise autonomy and agency in order to maintain a positive identity.
SIGNIFICANCE
Interventions to support older persons with chronic conditions should centre their priorities and build on their creativity.
The vast majority of older adults live in their own homes. Many of them live with chronic conditions that lead to activity limitations and participation restrictions. To support them adequately, we need to better understand how they cope with everyday difficulties.
AIM
To identify and examine difficulties in everyday life older people with chronic conditions who live in private homes face and how they and their significant others interpret, navigate, and overcome these difficulties.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
We conducted a focus group interview with 10 participants including eight older adults with chronic conditions and two of their significant others. We then transcribed the interviews verbatim and thematically analysed them.
RESULTS
We generated the three closely interrelated themes struggling not to lose control, a shifting balance between resources and environmental challenges, and negotiating independence and interdependence. Participants interpreted the difficulties they faced as multicausal. Their main goal was maintaining autonomy, agency, and a positive identity. They employed individual, creative strategies to achieve these goals.
CONCLUSIONS
Older persons with chronic conditions prioritise autonomy and agency in order to maintain a positive identity.
SIGNIFICANCE
Interventions to support older persons with chronic conditions should centre their priorities and build on their creativity.
Date of Publication
2024-01
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Keyword(s)
Autonomy chronic illness elderly identity occupational therapy
Language(s)
en
Contributor(s)
Additional Credits
Series
Scandinavian journal of occupational therapy
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
ISSN
1651-2014
Access(Rights)
open.access