Planning for Aging and Frailty: A Qualitative Study on Older Adults’ Perceptions, Facilitators, and Barriers

Erica Frechman; Harleah Buck; Mary S. Dietrich; Bethany A. Rhoten; Amanda Davis; Cathy A. Maxwell

doi:10.3390/jal3010006

Back

Planning for Aging and Frailty: A Qualitative Study on Older Adults’ Perceptions, Facilitators, and Barriers

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Planning for Aging and Frailty: A Qualitative Study on Older Adults’ Perceptions, Facilitators, and Barriers

Erica Frechman, Harleah Buck, Mary S. Dietrich, Bethany A. Rhoten, Amanda Davis and Cathy A. Maxwell

Journal of Ageing and Longevity, Vol.3(6), pp.72-89

02/01/2023

DOI: 10.3390/jal3010006

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.3390/jal3010006View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Aging is often accompanied by health events that may disrupt older adults’ desires to age in place. Understanding older adults’ perceptions of planning for their aging process was a priority to identify how planning behaviors occur. Our study explored how people perceive the concept of planning for aging and frailty, and identified the facilitators and barriers involved in the planning process. Using conventional qualitative content analysis, we used the data from semi-structured interviews of twenty community-dwelling older adults aged 50–80 years old. Demographic information was obtained, followed by the participant interviews. Seventeen code categories surfaced including six categories in the perception domain (i.e., internal, external, and future-oriented), seven categories in the facilitators domain (i.e., internal, external, and systems), and four categories in the barriers domain (i.e., internal, and systems). The emergent categories included understanding one’s perception of planning through a holistic lens, the importance of experiences with self/others as facilitators, and the physical/cognitive/emotional factors that serve as barriers within a larger sphere of societal influence. Planning for aging and frailty is an innovative concept that normalizes the aging process and promotes planning through an awareness of aging across the life-course domains. Future research is warranted for intervention development to help older adults recognize and actively plan for aging and to address the barriers involved.

behavior change

healthy aging

life course

planning

self-identity

Details

Title: Subtitle: Planning for Aging and Frailty: A Qualitative Study on Older Adults’ Perceptions, Facilitators, and Barriers
Creators: Erica Frechman - Atrium Health, 920 Church Street N., Concord, NC 28025, USA
Harleah Buck - University of Iowa
Mary S. Dietrich - Vanderbilt University
Bethany A. Rhoten - Vanderbilt University
Amanda Davis - Elsevier Nursing Education, 3251 Riverport Lane, Maryland Heights, MO 63043, USA
Cathy A. Maxwell - Vanderbilt University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of Ageing and Longevity, Vol.3(6), pp.72-89
DOI: 10.3390/jal3010006
eISSN: 2673-9259
Publisher: MDPI AG
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100007206, name: Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, award: UL1TR002243; name: Gerontological Advance Practice Nurses Association Carolinas Chapter
Language: English
Date published: 02/01/2023
Academic Unit: Nursing
Record Identifier: 9984384775902771

Metrics

24 Record Views

See more details