“Fiercely independent”: Experiences of aging in the right place of older women living alone with physical limitations

Abstract

This study explores the experience of aging among older Canadian women with physical limitations who live by themselves. While aging in place has been a policy priority in rapidly greying Canada, a lack of complementary public supports poses challenges for many older adults and their family members. Employing a qualitative methodology, and drawing from the notion of aging in the right place , we collected personal narratives of 12 women (aged 65 to 92) in two geographic areas in Ontario, including residents of regular houses, apartments, condominiums, assisted living and community housing for seniors. Through thematic analysis, we identified four overarching themes: 1) striving to continue on “at home”, 2) living as a “strong independent woman”, 3) the help needed to support their “independence”, and 4) social activities to maintain self. Our findings illustrate how, despite their mobility limitations, older women can change their residential environment and their behavior by deploying the coping strategies and resources they have developed over time. However, we also found that older women are largely silent about their needs, and that experiences varied depending on life histories, health conditions, and the availability of supports in their wider environment (home care, alternative housing options, accessible transportation, opportunities for social and physical activities). We hope these findings will incite further studies and discussion to help make aging in the right place a real choice for anyone who wishes to do so.

How to Influence Behavioral Intention Toward Age-Friendly Home Modifications in Urban Older People Aged 70+

“…Older adults may demonstrate a collective silence that will discourage housing modification behaviors from occurring. A study from Canada found that although older women have become less mobile with time and physical aging, they will largely maintain collective silence of their needs in terms of coping strategies and resources to change their living environment ( Narushima & Kawabata, 2020 ). On this occasion, they often overcome the environmental obstacles they face through their psychological adjustment ( van Kessel, 2013 ), and even very frail older adults are mentally resilient ( Peace et al, 2011 ).…”

“…Typically, when the perception and subjective norms are stronger, the attitude of older people toward home modifications is stronger. Studies have also found that older adults who are knowledgeable about the effects and costs of modifications have more positive attitudes and stronger behavioral intentions for modifications ( Narushima & Kawabata, 2020 ). The evidence leads us to propose the following hypotheses.…”

‘I eat to not die’: Diet and exercise experiences of older adults living alone

“…preserve their personal beliefs, values and identities; and avoid being a burden and causing conflict by living in their own home without help from anyone (Narushima & Kawabata, 2020;Tan et al, 2015). Although it is not easy to live alone with disability and frailty, their independent lives are supported by available external resources and/or informal care.…”

Geri Models of Care (MOC): An Immersive Preclerkship Curriculum Fostering Student Exploration of Residential Geriatric Models of Care

“…Providers must consider the medical, psychosocial, and environmental resources available where their older patients reside in order to provide high-quality, appropriate, and supportive patient care. 1 – 5 An older adult residing in a long-term care nursing facility has both high daily care needs and access to on-site care resources (e.g., medication management, tracking of bowel and bladder function); thus, their health care teams should construct a care plan inclusive of those needs and resources. 6 On the other hand, a team may incorrectly assume that a patient residing within a senior apartment community has some of the same resources, resulting in an impractical and unsafe care plan.…”