Ageing Successfully with a Physical Disability: The Views and Experiences of People Ageing with Spinal Cord Injury or Post-Polio Syndrome

Average lifespans for people with physical disabilities are increasing, and yet there is limited knowledge about their perceptions of what it means to age well. Indeed, the criteria for the influential model of successful ageing proposed by Rowe and Kahn effectively precludes people ageing with a long-term disability. Several authors have challenged this, and have attempted to develop more inclusive models of successful ageing. The aim of the study reported in on in this
article was to explore what successful ageing means for people ageing with either spinal cord injury (SCI) or post-polio syndrome (PPS). To achieve this, using an emic-based methodology, we recruited 17 participants from Australia, who were all aged between 40 and 78 years. Nine participants (one male, eight female) had acquired poliomyelitis in childhood and experienced PPS, and eight
participants (seven male, one female) had acquired an SCI 15 or more years ago. Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit participants’ views on the dimensions important to ageing successfully with a disability. Interview transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Eight themes were identified, two of which (sense of safety and security, and being treated with fairness and respect) are not prominent in the successful ageing literature, and represent the important role of broader society. Other themes reflected the importance of maintaining physical health; retaining cognitive abilities; positive psychological resources; independence and autonomy; social engagement and participation; and fostering a sense of purpose. The findings were used to
construct a multidimensional successful ageing model for those ageing with SCI or PPS. The model includes insights from lay perspectives that further illustrate the role broader society plays in supporting or hindering individuals to age successfully, and has implications for healthcare and government services.