Variations in subjective well-being when ‘aging in place’ — A matter of acceptance, predictability and control

The aim of the present study is to explore how older home-help recipients regard their life situation in terms of subjective well-being. The background is that there seem to be two counteracting forces affecting the achievement of subjective well-being among home-help recipients: on one hand, both diminished everyday competence and dependence on others' help are supposed to reduce subjective well-being, and on the other hand, living in one's own home is supposed to affect subjective well-being positively. The analysis is based on qualitative interviews with 21 home-help recipients between the ages of 78 and 93. The findings indicate that the informants' expressions of subjective well-being fall into four main categories: ‘well-being’, ‘well-being despite it all’, ‘well-being so far’, and ‘lack of well-being’. Three comprehensive core themes were identified as relevant to a deeper understanding of the informants' various expressions of well-being. These core themes are acceptance, predictability, and control. The findings point to the possibility of experiencing subjective well-being despite diminished everyday competence and dependence on help and support from others. They suggest, in short, that subjective well-being among older people who receive help and support in their everyday lives is not only related to socio-contextual factors – such as physical and mental capability, activities and/or engagement in the outside world, the spatial and social consequences of physical limitations, social and emotional relations, as well as the social support they receive – but also to how they regard and handle these matters in terms of acceptance, predictability and control.

► Subjective well-being can be experienced despite being a home-help recipient.
► Four categories of subjective well-being are identified.
► Important for subjective well-being are acceptance, predictability, and control.