When Functional Impairment Develops Early: Perspectives from Middle-Aged Adults

Background Difficulty performing basic daily activities such as bathing and dressing (functional impairment) affects more than 15% of middle-aged people, and this proportion is increasing. Little is known about the experiences and needs of individuals who develop functional impairment in middle age. Objective To examine the experiences and needs of adults who developed functional impairment in middle age. Design Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Participants Forty patients aged 50-64 years who developed functional impairment in middle age, recruited from four primary care clinics in San Francisco. Approach Interviews included open-ended questions about participants' daily life, ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), and needs related to functional impairment. We analyzed interviews using qualitative thematic analysis. Key Results Interviews revealed several themes related to the psychosocial and physical impacts of developing functional impairment in middle age. Participants noted that losses associated with functional impairment, such as loss of independence, control, and social roles, caused conflict in their sense of identity. To cope with these losses, participants used strategies including acceptance, social comparison, adjusting standards, and engaging in valued life activities. Participants reflected on the intersection of their functional impairment with the aging process, noting that their impairments seemed premature compared to the more natural aging process in older adults. In terms of physical impacts, participants described how a lack of accommodations in the built environment exacerbated their impairments. While participants used behavioral strategies to overcome these challenges, unmet needs remained, resulting in downstream physical and psychological impacts including safety risks, falls, frustration, and fear. Conclusions Unmet psychosocial and physical needs were common among middle-aged adults with functional impairment and led to negative downstream effects. Eliciting and addressing unmet needs may help mitigate downstream health consequences for this growing population, optimizing function and quality of life.

Automated summary

This qualitative study examined the experiences and needs of adults who developed functional impairment in middle age. The study found that developing functional impairment had negative psychosocial and physical impacts on individuals. Unmet psychosocial and physical needs led to safety risks, falls, frustration, and fear.