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Living well with chronic disease for those older adults living in the community

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2017

Richard A. Burns ,
Colette Browning  and
Hal L. Kendig
Richard A. Burns*
Affiliation:
Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Colette Browning
Affiliation:
ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia International Institute for Primary Health Care Research, Shenzhen, China School of Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Hal L. Kendig
Affiliation:
Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Richard A. Burns, Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, The Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Act, Australia. Phone: +61 02 6125 3123; Fax: +61 02 6125 0733. Email: richard.burns@anu.edu.au.
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Abstract

Background:

Definitions of successful aging that incorporate dimensions of physical capacity and medical conditions are limited owing to the normative nature of experiencing medical conditions with age. We examine the capacity for older adults living in the community to live well with or without chronic disease as they age.

Method:

Participants (n = 1,001) were from the Melbourne Longitudinal Studies on Healthy Ageing (MELSHA) study who were aged 65+ years at baseline, were living in the community and followed for 16 years.

Results:

Aging was associated with not living well (OR = 1.21; p < 0.001) and having a chronic disease (OR = 1.09; p < 0.001). There was increasing proportion of older adults not living well with chronic disease as they aged. Those not living well were at a substantial risk of death with (OR = 3.63; p < 0.001) or without (OR = 3.59; p < 0.001) chronic disease.

Discussion:

The defining normative experience for older adults is that they are more likely to have a chronic disease and importantly not be living well with chronic disease as they age. However, it was the state of not living well that reflected the most substantial vulnerability for mortality, not chronic disease.

Keywords

aginghealth aginglongitudinal studiesquality of life (QoL)
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 29 , Issue 5 , May 2017 , pp. 835 - 843
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2017 

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