Citation

Rush KL, Murphy MA, Kozak JF. J. Aging Stud. 2012; 26(4): 448-458.

Affiliation

Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada V1V 1V7.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jaging.2012.06.004

PMID

22939541

Abstract

Risk is a multifaceted and complex concept that mediates quality of life through the balance between risk taking and risk avoidance. Society expects older adults to identify and manage their personal risks yet little is known about the meaning of risk in their daily lives and how they balance the tensions between taking and avoiding risks. Therefore the purpose of this study was to explore how older adults construe risk. A qualitative exploratory study that incorporated photovoice methodology was used. Seventeen older adults, over a weeklong period, took pictures and kept a log of the places, spaces, events, activities, or situations that best represented risk. Subsequently, they participated in a follow-up individual interview. Older adults viewed risk both positively and negatively, judging the saliency of a risk according to criteria that related both to the risk itself and to personal characteristics. Although risk was avoided in specific situations, risk taking was participants' primary approach to risk, which assumed three forms: adaptive, opportunistic, and/or unjustifiable. Contrary to societal views, older adults view risk as constructive and personally relevant, and as something to be taken and need to be supported in risk taking rather than risk avoidance.

Language: en