Exploring older adults' experiences of daily mobility over the first 6 months after hip fracture: a qualitative...

In this qualitative study, we explored older adults' experiences of daily mobility after hip fracture, both early and again 6 months postsurgery.

Individual semistructured interviews exploring the participants' experiences at two timepoints: shortly after hospital discharge and 6 months postsurgery. The analyses were performed using systematic text condensation involving the following steps: obtaining an overall impression/identifying themes, identifying meaning units, condensation and synthesising into descriptions and concepts.

Recruitment at a university hospital in Norway. 21 interviews were conducted in participants' homes and 7 at a rehabilitation institution, between September 2022 and December 2023.

We included community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and older who had suffered a hip fracture from a larger longitudinal study (Mobilise-D Clinical Validation Study). We used a purposive sampling strategy and recruited six men and nine women aged 74-94 years.

Shortly after surgery, participants experienced mobility limitations and faced new feelings that challenged their everyday lives, such as fear of falling and a sense of loss of freedom, both contributing to uncertainty about the future. Optimism and coping strategies, along with social support, were perceived as motivational factors underlying mobility recovery. After 6 months, participants experienced varied mobility recovery and adaptation to a new everyday life. Some participants were satisfied and accepted some mobility limitations, while others voiced disappointment and continued to struggle with mobility restrictions and ongoing challenging feelings.

A hip fracture can profoundly disrupt the everyday lives of older adults, leading to loss of mobility and challenging feelings. Coping strategies and social support play a crucial role in mobility recovery. 6 months postsurgery, participants reported varied recovery experiences, from resuming valued activities and adapting to limitations to continued struggles with daily mobility and challenging feelings. Rehabilitation programmes should address both physical and psychosocial aspects to support mobility recovery in the initial 6 months and, for some individuals, beyond.