Table 2.

Summary of Findings: Quality of Life in Late-Life Disability

Domain	Definition	Quotation
Physical
Disability and falls	Physical or cognitive disability, loss of ability to do daily tasks or activities, and experiences of falls or fear of falling	“It’s like being in prison. […] If there are any parties or outside celebrations such as weddings, we don’t dare go [because we are afraid of falling].” (Chinese-American man, aged 81)
Dependence	Relying on others for assistance with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living	“It’s kind of hard because I used to jump up and run to Safeway, but right now, I have to wait for somebody to do it for me. I’m not—just not able to do it. […] It’s rough, and when you’re not used to it, it’s very hard, but when you can’t do any better, you just have to accept it.” (black woman, aged 78)
Adaptation	Assistive devices, medications, or behavior modifications used to overcome limitations caused by physical disability	“I have trouble with my shoulder and with my knee. That’s why I was getting therapy today, but it feels much better after I got the therapy.” (black woman)
Pain	The experience of chronic pain and its sources and effect on daily life	“[I hope] to be healthy again, to have a stronger body, no pain. If I have just a little bit, I can take care of that pain. But with arthritis it’s terrible. I always fall down.” (Filipina white woman, aged 84)
Non-pain symptoms	Bothersome symptoms not related to pain (e.g., constipation, shortness of breath, fatigue)	“I don’t walk because of the lack of energy. I can’t move— it’s tiring.” (Chinese man, aged 77)
Self-perceived health	Concerns about specific diseases, worsening health and overall health status	“I would like to continue the mode as it is; however, I have to accept the reality may be my health. Right now, it’s really quite good, but that could go down.” (white woman, aged 88)
Social
Life-space15	The size of one’s physical space that one can move through freely without assistance	“When you go out on your own, you check things out. […]Now I cannot go because I’m by myself now. You’re afraid to take the bus too. Before [I could] take the bus to go out, but last year since the fall until now, [I’m] too afraid to go out on my own.”(Chinese woman, aged 80)
Isolation and support	Relationships with family, friends, neighbors, caregivers that provide emotional support and the effect of the absence of these relationships	“Very lonely. [There’s] no one to talk to. […] An elderly person is at home by himself or herself.” “When my sons and grandkids have time on the weekends, they will take me out to lunch. They don’t want me to be alone at home.” (Chinese woman, aged 91)
Burdensomeness	Fears of causing financial or physical hardship to family, friends, or society	“They still mind, you know, even if they don’t say it. They still mind.” (Filipina white woman, aged 85)
Interpersonal conflict	Difficulty talking with providers or family members about concerns, symptoms, needs, or wishes	“At home, it is very difficult to talk with my son. When I cannot hear him and ask him to tell me again, he gets mad and very mean.” (Chinese woman, aged 82)
Psychological well-being
Depression	Symptoms of anhedonia, depressed mood, hopelessness	“Now that I’m old and cannot walk and stuff, there’s not much I want to do.” (Chinese woman, aged 75)
Anxiety	Overall worry about the future, daily activities, generalized fear	“I don’t want to die being helpless. Right now I’m helpless enough.” (white man, aged 76)
Positive attitude	Maintaining a happy or contented mood	“I’m doing pretty well. I mean I live at home now all by myself because my wife died. […] I stayed in the apartment and I have a good outlook, which is good. I don’t know why [chuckle], but I have a good outlook, so that helps. It helps a lot.” (white man, aged 58)
Spiritual and religious
Religious coping	Religious beliefs that assist one in accepting disability or psychological distress	“My belief in God is that He’s taking care of me. Can’t nobody else do nothing for me but Him. I know that, and that’s who I rely on for everything.” (black man, aged 61)
Sense of peace	Acceptance of the current state of life, regardless of level of disability or dependence	“At this age, I don’t really hope for much. Just do what’s right on a day, eat what’s right for me, sleep well, and I’m satisfied.” (Chinese woman, aged 83)
Meaning making	Participating in activities, hobbies or social groups that create a sense of purpose or fulfillment	“Painting’s been a Godsend. Where I used to live, they had a wonderful art teacher, and one of my paintings was shown, so I feel I’m really encouraged.” (white woman, aged 79)
Central factors
Sense of control	Having a sense of power or control over what happens in one’s life; often includes relational autonomy or having control through a relationship or dependency on someone else to do what the person wishes	“Just because I had a stroke doesn’t make me dead. What I ask is this: Let me decide what I want to do with the rest of my life on my own. Don’t help me, and don’t make the decisions for me.” (black man, aged 67)
Dignity	Having a sense of one’s identity and place in society that those around one value and respect	“It’s unfortunate that a lot of your family or other people feel that, once you’re old, you don’t know anything anymore and you’re just kind of in the way.” (white woman, aged 84)
Contextual features
Health and social services	Agencies providing support for health care, transportation, food, exercise, social activities, caregivers	“I have built a certain level of trust here, including with the staff that takes care of us. So that is a benefit to us because we need that. […] The other thing is that, on the days that I come here, if I have a clinical or medical need, I can see the doctor.” (Latino man, aged 82)
Physical environment	The surroundings, including housing, neighborhood, cleanliness, safety, disturbances	“I had to get out of that [hotel] because they got bed bugs in the walls and you can watch them crawling down the walls, and the place I’m in right now, I killed two of them the other day.” (white woman, aged 75)
Financial status	Ability to meet basic needs with income and savings	“It’s hard to save. You have to pay for your food, rent, so it’s hard to have any money left over to save at the end.” (Latina woman, aged 68)
Community	A sense of belonging to a social group with common features	“We [Chinese people] depend on our own. We depend on ourselves.” (Chinese man, aged 89)