Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67484
Title: The lived experiences of older persons who stop driving following a stroke
Authors: Mangion, Roberta
Keywords: Older people -- Transportation -- Malta
Older automobile drivers -- Malta
Cerebrovascular disease -- Malta
Issue Date: 2020
Citation: Mangion, R. (2020). The lived experiences of older persons who stop driving following a stroke (Master's dissertation).
Abstract: Background: As the world population ages, the number of older drivers is noted to be increasing, since older persons are becoming increasingly active and more mobile in society. This was seen in various international studies. Literature revealed that older persons' most preferred choice of transportation is driving their own car, to be able to participate in their activities of daily life (ADLs). In fact, driving was considered as the second most important ADL amongst older persons. Nevertheless, after sustaining a stroke, despite undergoing through a rehabilitation process, not everyone has the skills to return to driving due to severe physical and/or cognitive consequences. Aims: After identifying a gap in the literature, this study aimed to explore the lived experiences of older persons who stopped driving following a stroke in Malta. This study aimed to discover the feelings, experiences, needs and challenges faced by older stroke survivors who could not drive anymore, due to severe stroke consequences. Another aim was to analyse how older persons adapted their lives from being a driver to a non-driver. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted to gain a deeper understanding of the older persons' perspectives and lived experience of becoming a non-driver. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was deemed the best approach by the researcher to capture as closely as possible the lived experiences of older persons. Purposive sampling was utilised to obtain participants according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eight (8) semistructured face-to-face-interviews with open-ended questions were carried out; consisting of 7 older males and 1 older female participant. A pilot study was carried out with 2 older males. Results: After data analysis, 5 superordinate themes emerged (a) the meaning of driving to older persons, (b) the experience of becoming a non-driver following a stroke, (c) coping after driving cessation, (d) becoming active after driving cessation and (e) barriers to becoming active following driving cessation. Respective subordinate themes emerged. Since all participants valued the ability to drive prior to the stroke, all older person participants found it very challenging to adapt to the new role of being a non-driver. Conclusion: This study proved to be significant as there is a dearth in international and local literature on driving cessation, particularly following a stroke. Although findings were similar to other studies on driving cessation in general, driving cessation following a stroke proved to be more traumatic as older persons had to deal with physical, psychological and cognitive losses following the stroke, as well as coping with driving cessation. Recommendations were provided to policymakers, governmental institutions and to allied healthcare professionals, with the aim of facilitating the transition of the older person from a driver to a non-driver and offering more support.
Description: M.GER.
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/67484
Appears in Collections:Dissertations - FacSoW - 2020
Dissertations - FacSoWGer - 2020

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