Experiences of Health and Aging: Younger Adults with Disabilities in Long-term Care Facilities

Abstract

Canada’s 2011 census revealed that Nova Scotia comprises the largest proportion of people over the age of 65 and the highest proportion of people living with a disability (Statistics Canada, 2012; Statistics Canada, 2013). The challenge of meeting the health care and housing needs of these marginalized populations continues to grow, evidenced through long waitlists for long-term care (LTC) and residential group homes across Nova Scotia (Curry, 2015; Nova Scotia Community Services, 2013). In response to a province-wide deficit of appropriate health care housing, younger adults with various disabilities are placed within LTC institutions designed to provide services to a population of older and often sicker residents (Barken, 2013). As such, the objectives of this study were to explore how the perceptions and experiences of health and aging for younger adults in LTC are influenced through complex relationships between individual, interpersonal, and environmental level relationships.