ARI Working Paper Series

What do “independence”, “dependence”, and “disability” mean to older people? How do they feel about personal and equipment assistance? We conducted interviews on these issues with community-dwelling Americans and Singaporeans aged 70+; the samples were assisted-living residents and day-care center clients, respectively.

Quantitative and qualitative data analyses show that the two groups differ greatly in their views. Singapore seniors usually live with one of their children and receive daily help from family. They appreciate and expect it, but feel they are a burden and wish for more personal freedom. Equipment helps them get about, but they fear losing public respect. The U.S. seniors have their own residence, with professional help close at hand. They insist on being in charge of their daily lives, getting help from professional staff and their children only when necessary. Equipment is more acceptable than personal help. In both countries, independence means not having personal help for tasks, or autonomy about residence/finances/decision-making. Dependence means receiving/needing help for tasks, loss of decision-making autonomy, relying on others in late life, or social altruism. Both groups define disability as difficulty doing activities on one’s own.

Singaporeans have traditional views of a “person with disability” (e.g., wheelchair, blind), while Americans have broader ones. We conclude that independence and dependence always have psychological content and should be treated as such in research. Closed-ended questions weakly capture differences in disability experiences across societies, and open-ended questions are a necessary adjunct.