RESEARCH ARTICLE
Ageing with Muscular Disease
Bente Martinsen*, Pia Dreyer
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2016Volume: 10
First Page: 131
Last Page: 138
Publisher ID: TONURSJ-10-131
DOI: 10.2174/1874434601610010131
Article History:
Received Date: 05/05/2016Revision Received Date: 31/08/2016
Acceptance Date: 08/11/2016
Electronic publication date: 30/11/2016
Collection year: 2016
open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International Public License (CC BY-NC 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode), which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background:
The demographic development with an ageing population is predicted to be the next global public health challenge. Advances in medicine and the socioeconomic development have reduced mortality and morbidity due to infectious conditions and non-communicable diseases. The increase in longevity will not be restricted to healthy people.
Objective:
To understand how people with muscular diseases experience ageing.
Method:
A literature review was conducted using the Matrix Method developed by Garrard (2007). This systematic method was used to identify, describe and interpret studies, irrespective of the methods applied. To avoid the exclusion of important sources, experiences and topics, we chose an integrative approach that accommodates the inclusion of studies with different methodologies. People with MD have gradually extended their life expectancy during the last 30 years. Thus, we reviewed the literature regarding MD and ageing without time limit.
Results:
We identified three themes: 1) Slowing down early 2) Accepting lifelong deterioration and 3) Striving for normality.
Conclusion:
People with MD live in a field of tension between a feeling of autonomy and normality and difficulties coping with reduced physical abilities. Getting older accentuates this tension since the physical strength diminishes and it is harder to maintain autonomy. The bodily challenges may coincide with the end of the rehabilitation people living with MD have received. Seemingly, no age-related rehabilitation is offered, and people living with MD are thus at risk of an unnecessarily passive life.
