Engaging With Aging: A Qualitative Study of Age-Related Changes and Adaptations

Background and Objectives

In the context of global aging, there is a need to better understand how older adults adapt to their changing health status. Engaging with aging (EWA) is an emerging framework proposed by Carnevali, which provides a new lens to understand an active, conscious daily-living process of managing age-related changes (ARCs) taken on by older adults. Study aims were to (a) describe the ARCs experienced by community-dwelling older adults and (b) identify the strategies and resources used by older adults to accommodate the daily-living challenges caused by the associated ARCs.

Research Design and Methods

We conducted semistructured interviews using a virtual card sort to gather qualitative data about ARCs and strategies to manage ARCs. Interviews were conducted virtually due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions.

Results

Participants included 19 females and 10 males. The mean age was 77.45 years old (range from 64 to 98). Sixteen ARCs (e.g., changes in hearing, changes in stability, changes in sleep, etc.) were mentioned by participants, and their corresponding adaptations were discussed. Participants linked their adaptations to their ARCs based on their changing capacities and needs. Examples of commonly used adaptations included, for example, conserving energy, utilizing tools or technology, and being more conscious before and while taking actions. The challenges caused by COVID-19 in implementing the adaptations were also discussed.

Discussion and Implications

Findings from this study demonstrate how older adults explore, generate, and utilize adaptive behaviors to address their ARCS. This study substantiates the EWA framework by showing common patterns among older adults in linking ARCs with adaptations. Implications for clinicians include using EWA to help older adults identify personalized health solutions that fit their capacities. Researchers may use EWA to design and test interventions by considering the specific ARCs older adults encounter and the attitudes they hold towards the ARCs.

Emerging Smart Home Technologies to Facilitate Engaging With Aging

Engaging with aging (EWA), the ongoing process of an individual to identify resources and implement adaptive strategies to maximize quality of life, may be enhanced by advances in information technology and adaptive upgrades to the built environment. Smart home technologies (SmHT) introduce passive monitoring features into the residential infrastructure to promote older adults' ability to manage day-to-day living and age in place. This article provides an overview of current and emerging SmHT and discusses opportunities to leverage this technology for enhancing the capacity of older adults to engage with their own aging. There are opportunities to create smart homes that enhance physical and cognitive capacity for older adults, but there are also ethical and practical challenges that will inform the design of future smart home systems. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(12), 41-48.].

Academic Leadership Roles and the Promotion of Research, Education, and Practices That Reframe Aging

Healthy aging represents an aspect of nursing science where there is accelerating academic interest in a topic that is of great public interest. Thus, an opportunity presents to consider how best to leverage academic leadership roles to assure a forward-looking curriculum, foster relevant research, and communicate results to the public. There are many roles that academic nursing leaders can play in advancing transformational ideas such as healthy aging, including acting as incubator and resource, hub and bridge, educational futurist, and public advocate. Nursing brings to this transformational task knowledge of the need for evidence-based research to guide policy and decision making as it relates to aging, clinical experience, and an ability to convey to a non-professional audience the clinical experience and research results. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(12), 28-32.].