Examining Valued Social Participation of Disabled Older Adults Through the Frameworks of Critical Gerontology and Critical Disability Studies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The importance of social participation for older adults has been well articulated. Missing from this discourse is a critical consideration of how social participation is shaped by political, economic, and social contexts that marginalize aging and disabled bodies. We bridge this gap by applying critical gerontology and critical disability frameworks to our analysis of how access to health and social services and individual and environmental factors are associated with engagement in valued social activities among disabled older adults.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study Round 12 (n = 4,562), we conducted a series of generalized linear regression models evaluating the association between disability, access to health and social services, and participation in valued social activities.

RESULTS: Increased limitation with Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, and presence of dementia were significantly associated with decreased valued social participation. Receiving unpaid support, social network size, transportation access, having a regular doctor, and employment were positively associated with valued social participation, while neighborhood disorder, low neighborhood cohesion, difficulty paying for medications, and Medicaid beneficiary status were negatively associated.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings indicate disabled older adults face challenges engaging in valued social activities. Applying critical gerontology and disability perspectives calls us to reexamine the ways social participation, accessibility, and full inclusion of disabled older adults are considered. We urge gerontologists to use these findings to reimagine the structures of aging services and community to achieve social change.