Women with physical disabilities: Occupational impacts of ageing

Research in various fields has established a myriad of significant differences between men and women, including: how they cope with disability; and how they age; all suggesting that studies of the impact of ageing on males with a disability cannot be generalized to disabled women. There has recently been some published work on ageing in men with disabilities. Even though roughly 60% of people with disabilities are female, there is virtually no research that specifically examines the impact of ageing on women with disabilities. This study was a multidisciplinary collaborative effort among a disabled women's organization and faculty from three universities. Based on focus group and key informant interviews with a total sample of 41 participants from across Ontario, this paper describes how women with disabilities view their ageing, and the changes they are experiencing in their bodies and occupations. It outlines their worries and concerns about their changing abilities to perform valued occupational roles and maintain control over their lives, and presents their critique of current resources available to them to cope with ageing. It offers their recommendations for improvements to assist them to maintain their health as they age, and to ensure their continued participation in social and economic occupations.