Variations in subjective well-being when 鈥榓ging in place鈥?鈥?A matter of acceptance, predictability and control
- 作者：Gunhild Hammarströ ; m ; gunhild.hammarstrom@soc.uu.se ; Sandra Torres1 ; Sandra.Torres@soc.uu.se
- 关键词：Subjective well-being ; Aging well ; Home-help recipients ; Aging in place
- 刊名：Journal of Aging Studies
- 出版年：2012
- 期刊代码：55_08904065
- 类别：soc
- 出版时间：April, 2012
- 卷：26
- 期：2
- 页码：192-203
- 文件大小：245 K
摘要
The aim of the present study is to explore how older home-help recipients regard their life situation in terms of subjective well-being. The background is that there seem to be two counteracting forces affecting the achievement of subjective well-being among home-help recipients: on one hand, both diminished everyday competence and dependence on others' help are supposed to reduce subjective well-being, and on the other hand, living in one's own home is supposed to affect subjective well-being positively. The analysis is based on qualitative interviews with 21 home-help recipients between the ages of 78 and 93. The findings indicate that the informants' expressions of subjective well-being fall into four main categories: 鈥榳ell-being鈥? 鈥榳ell-being despite it all鈥? 鈥榳ell-being so far鈥? and 鈥榣ack of well-being鈥? Three comprehensive core themes were identified as relevant to a deeper understanding of the informants' various expressions of well-being. These core themes are acceptance, predictability, and control. The findings point to the possibility of experiencing subjective well-being despite diminished everyday competence and dependence on help and support from others. They suggest, in short, that subjective well-being among older people who receive help and support in their everyday lives is not only related to socio-contextual factors - such as physical and mental capability, activities and/or engagement in the outside world, the spatial and social consequences of physical limitations, social and emotional relations, as well as the social support they receive - but also to how they regard and handle these matters in terms of acceptance, predictability and control.