title: Negotiating 'positive' aging in the presence of age-related vision loss (ARVL): The shaping and perpetuation of disability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While previous research has explored the meaning of positive aging discourses from the perspective of older adults, the perspective of older adults aging with a disability has not been studied. In fact the intersection of aging and disability has been largely underexplored in both social gerontology and disability studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This critical ethnography engaged ten older adults aging with vision loss in narrative interviews, participant observation sessions, and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The overarching objective was to understand those attributes that older adults with age-related vision loss perceive as being the markers of a 'good old age.' The authors critically examined how these markers, and their disabling effects, are situated in ageist and disablist social assumptions regarding what it means to 'age well'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants' descriptions of the markers of a 'good old age' were organized into five main themes: 1) maintaining independence while negotiating help; 2) responding positively to vision loss; 3) remaining active while managing risk; 4) managing expectations to be compliant, complicit, and cooperative and; 5) striving to maintain efficiency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study findings have provided helpful insights into how the ideas and assumptions that operate in relation to disability and impairment in late life are re-produced among older adults with age-related vision loss and how older adults take on an identity that is consistent with socially embedded norms regarding what it means to 'age well'.
authors.affiliation: The University of Western Ontario, School of Occupational Therapy, Elborn College, London, Ontario, N6G 1H1, Canada. Electronic address: mcgrathc@ontarioshores.ca.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.affiliation: The University of Western Ontario, School of Occupational Therapy, Elborn College, London, Ontario, N6G 1H1, Canada. Electronic address: drudman@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laliberte Rudman
authors.affiliation: The University of Western Ontario, School of Occupational Therapy, Elborn College, London, Ontario, N6G 1H1, Canada. Electronic address: jpolgar@uwo.ca.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polgar
authors.affiliation: University of Waterloo, Optometry and Vision Science, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada. Electronic address: marlee.spafford@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: Marlee M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Spafford
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1V7, Canada. Electronic address: b.trentham@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trentham
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Age-related vision loss; Critical ethnography; Disability; Older adults; Positive aging