Pioneers in aging: Voices of women age 85 and older aging in place in rural communities

This study, "Pioneers in Aging", advances our understanding of the realities of older women aging in place through an exploration of the real lives of women age 85 and older who reside in rural communities. Critical social theory, enhanced with a feminist gerontological perspective, guided this qualitative study and addressed the following four questions: 1) What are the lived realities of women age 85 and older living in rural communities? 2) How do social structures and government policies influence these women's daily lives? 3) How do women 85 and older educate themselves about aging and living in rural communities? and 4) How do women 85 and older share their knowledge and mentor others? Using face-to-face, in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and Photovoice, a participatory research and critical thinking method that invite participants to share their knowledge, I drew upon the real-life experiences of 10 women in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The participants discussed and interpreted their photographs individually and in groups, and shared their perspectives with each other, the public, and policy makers, through a knowledge-sharing open house. Using an inductive approach, assisted with NVivo Pro 11 software, themes were identified and coded. A feminist gerontological framework helped to reveal the participants' daily life realities in light of the current social structures and government programs available to support them to age in place. Findings here illustrate what influences older women as they age in place and the contributions those women may continue to make as they age, even into their nineties. Close analysis of the data indicates that the key influences, which may enable or challenge daily life for aging in place, are a set of interacting forces that include: the women's own agency; their social involvement; their informal support networks; their access to affordable housing and transportation; and financial security. Findings also reveal that not all older women fit the stereotypical view of frail, vulnerable, and dependent victims who are a burden on society. Instead, analysis here revealed how they are, and can be, active contributors, both within and beyond their immediate communities. The results of this study increase the visibility of women living in the upper limits of longevity, the old-old pioneers in aging, and advance our knowledge about older women. They compel us to recognize that the population of older women is not homogeneous, and to design systems that will meet expressed needs. Participants in this study asked for supports that would enable them to continue to contribute to their communities and maintain agency, rather than assume their dependence. These findings ask us to look carefully at the interacting forces that influence older women's options for aging in place, to honour the contributions that old-old women make to their communities and families, and to recognize their individuality.