Older people in transition from illness to health: trajectories of recovery

Abstract

Despite growing interest in the meaning of illness and recovery in older age, much of the research has focused on particular conditions, such as stroke; yet, illness in later life is considerably more diverse. In this article, we examine the experience of illness and process of recovery through interviews with 64 older people receiving intermediate care, a form of transitional care to support people between illness and resumption of everyday life routines. They describe four recovery trajectories generated from individuals' accounts of illness and their perspective on recovery: cure and restoration, adjusting to discontinuity and establishing markers of continuity, getting back and keeping going, and managing uncertainty. We conclude that several interacting factors shape the meaning of illness and the process of recovery in later life: prior circumstances, illness onset and trajectory, comorbid health problems, and cumulative loss in advanced older age.