Managing threats against control in old age: a narrative inquiry

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology of Aging
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Maintaining personal control is a persistent desire throughout aging, often challenged by vulnerabilities specific to later life.
• Older adults face unique pressures related to health status and evolving personal identity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how older adults perceive and respond to threats to their sense of personal control.
• To examine the interplay between control, health, and identity in older age.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 community-dwelling older adults (10 African American, 10 European American), aged 70+.
• Participants reported varied health statuses and discussed their perceptions of control and threats to control.

Main Results:

• Three key themes emerged: proactive health monitoring, maintaining identity-linked roles, and engaging in generative practices for personal growth.
• The study also highlights responses from individuals experiencing difficulties in countering control threats.

Conclusions:

• Personal control is a dynamic, culturally nuanced construct actively applied by older adults in daily life.
• Older adults leverage life-course resources to manage threats to control, integrating past roles with age-related changes.
• Health professionals can support older adults in managing the cognitive and emotional aspects of control threats related to health and identity.