Ageing life with neuromuscular disease: A phenomenological-hermeneutic study

2021.08.10 | Graduate School of Health

On Friday 20 August at 13:00, Louise Abildgaard Møller defends her PhD dissertation entitled "Ageing life with neuromuscular disease: A phenomenological-hermeneutic study".

None of the current medical treatments can prolong life and improve quality of life for persons who are ageing with NMD better than provision of the right rehabilitation, care and support. Advances in rehabilitation, technology and symptoms management have produced an increased life expectancy for some NMD subtypes and a nearly normal life expectancy for other types. Hence, persons living with NMD now live longer lives in which age-related changes add to their NMD-related disabilities. Nevertheless, knowledge about how ageing life with NMD is experienced remains sparse. Several studies suggest that a better understanding of everyday life with NMD may lead to improved support, care and rehabilitation of persons with NMD. This study aims to explore and understand ageing life with NMD and to arrive at an understanding of the care and support needs in ageing life with NMD.

The findings show that ageing life with NMD is paved with multiple transitions all associated with a risk of experiencing incoherence. These transitions occur in areas of everyday life that are related to physical changes, legislative changes, social changes and the question of how to strike a balance between the need for exercise and preserving strength and energy for other areas of everyday life. Furthermore, the findings illuminate that the concept of ‘participation’ is understood to be an especially important issue in ageing life, as it leads to experience a sense of purpose and meaning in ageing life. A lack of professional knowledge may negatively affect the continued participation of persons who are ageing with NMD. Finally the study show that there is a need for an approach to care and support which takes point of departure in the life situation of each individual who age with NMD. The new knowledge generated through the study contributes to a future development of an intervention to persons ageing with NMD, which centres on the individual’s life values, goals and specific life situation.   

The summary is written by the PhD student.   

The defence is public and takes place in auditorium J116-113, entrance J, J110, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200 Aarhus N and online via Zoom. Please read the attached press release for more information.

Contact:

PhD student Louise Abildgaard Møller

Mail: lorasm@rm.dk

Phone: (+45) 28607047

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