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To feel safe in everyday life at home – a study of older adults after home modifications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2011

INGELA PETERSSON ,
MARGARETA LILJA  and
LENA BORELL
INGELA PETERSSON*
Affiliation:
Karolinska Institutet, Division of Occupational Therapy Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) Stockholm, Sweden.
MARGARETA LILJA
Affiliation:
Karolinska Institutet, Division of Occupational Therapy Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) Stockholm, Sweden.
LENA BORELL
Affiliation:
Karolinska Institutet, Division of Occupational Therapy Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS) Stockholm, Sweden.
*
Address for correspondence: Ingela Petersson, Karolinska Institutet, Alfred Nobels alle 23, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden. E-mail: Ingela.petersson@ki.se
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Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore aspects contributing to experiences of safety in everyday life for older adults who have received modification services. Qualitative interviews were conducted with eight people. Data were analysed using a comparative approach. Three main categories emanated in the analysis: prerequisites that enable a feeling of safety, strategies that enable safety in everyday life, and use of and reliance on technology impacts on safety. The findings revealed that to feel safe in everyday life was based on three prerequisites: feeling healthy, having someone to rely on and feeling at home. The fulfilment of these prerequisites further impacted on the participants' strategies for handling problems in everyday life but also on the ability to use and benefit from technology such as home modifications. In conclusion, the findings indicated that interventions provided to increase safety for older adults should primarily be focused on the presence and fulfilment of prerequisites and later on other interventions such as technology. Technology such as home modifications and assistive devices was not found in this study to facilitate the feeling of safety unless supported by the fulfilled prerequisites. Implications of these findings for clinical practice are discussed.

Keywords

ageing in placeelderlyenvironmental interventioncommunity-based rehabilitationactivities of daily livingindependenceautonomy
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 32 , Issue 5 , July 2012 , pp. 791 - 811
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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