Older adults’ perspectives of independence through time: Results of a longitudinal interview study

Background and Objectives

Understanding how older people experience independence has implications for person-centred care. Existing understanding of older people’s experience of independence, generated through methods that provide a ‘snapshot’ view of a person’s independence at a given time point, provide little insight about the process of maintaining independence through time. The aim of this study was to explore older participants’ perceptions to understand the processes and resources that were most important for maintaining independence.

Research Design and Methods

Two semi-structured interviews were conducted longitudinally to explore the perspectives of 12 community-dwelling, older people, aged 76-85 years. A social constructivist approach, using dramaturgical and descriptive codes, facilitated the interpretation of the data. Sixteen analytical questions guided exploration of participants’ perceptions of independence through time.

Results

Older people suggested that objective representations underestimated, and omitted, important aspects of their independence through time. Some participants perceived ‘snapshot’ judgements of their independence as insensitive to their individual values and context. Change over time required some participants to adapt their methods for maintaining independence. The stability of participants’ sense of independence was value-dependent and informed by the purpose a participant ascribed to maintaining independence.

Discussion and Implications

This study augments the understanding of independence as a complex and multifaceted construct. The findings challenge the congruence of common interpretations of independence with older people’s views, showing areas of commonality and discrepancy. Exploration of independence in terms of form and function provides important understanding about how function takes precedence to form in determining the maintenance of independence through time.