“You Don`t Go Out If You Don’t See Anyone” – Reconsidering the Interplay of Personal, Social and Environmental Resources for Life-Space Mobility in Old Age”

Abstract

Abstract Maintaining mobility with increasing age depends on personal, social and environmental factors, but the understanding of their complex interplay remains limited. Considering the comprehensive concept of Life-space mobility (LSM), we aim to illustrate the synergistic or antagonistic interplay of personal, social and environmental factors for life-space mobility (LSM) of older adults living in rural areas. Semi-structured interviews with twelve older adults (74–95 years) from a particularly rural area in Germany were conducted alongside the validation study of the German version of the Life-Space Assessment (DRKS00019023). To analyze interview transcripts methods of qualitative content analysis were applied using MAXQDA 2020. Participants were additionally characterized with assessments of LSM, everyday functioning, quality of life and balance confidence were carried out. Eight participants reported restricted LSM. Qualitative analysis displayed that difficulties visiting healthcare services were related to accessible information and dependence on being driven there. Additionally, factors cancelled each other out, e.g., the motivation to go out was facilitated by modernized sidewalks but subverted by the absence of social contacts. Findings related to social and environmental factors turned out to be ambivalent. For instance, the spouse who helped his wife to be mobile outdoors also undermined her motivation to go out. Results reveal various forms of interplay of personal, social and environmental factors providing an enriched understanding of emerging barriers to LSM as well as resource allocation to maintain LSM in old age.