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Living life to the fullest: Well elders’ views of hip fracture

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Abstract

Using a sample of 60 healthy older adults attending senior centers, this study examines elders’ perceptions of the consequences of hip fracture, reports of their physical health, feelings of efficacy in avoiding falls, and reports of depression. Results indicate that these active older adults generally do not feel vulnerable to hip fracture and expect to recover and regain mobility and independence in a timely fashion should they suffer a hip fracture. Moreover, elders in the study who do not view hip fracture as having substantial negative impact on their lives also report lower levels of depression and higher levels of perceived falls efficacy than do elders who view future hip fracture as a more debilitating health event. Study results are discussed in the context of theories of perceived invulnerability as a form of adaptive coping for elders. Implications of findings for caregivers, researchers, and practitioners are also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, USA

    Marcia G. Hunt M.A. (Predoctoral Psychology Fellow)

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  1. Marcia G. Hunt M.A.
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  2. Catherine H. Stein
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Correspondence to Marcia G. Hunt M.A..

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Catherine H. Stein, Ph.D. is a clinical-community psychologist whose research focuses on marginalized population.

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Hunt, M.G., Stein, C.H. Living life to the fullest: Well elders’ views of hip fracture. Ageing Int. 29, 178–198 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-004-1016-1

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