Dispelling fears about aging with a disability: Lessons from the disability rights community

ABSTRACT. There have been revolutionary changes in the way that many people perceive and deal with the issue of disability. These changes effect both the nature of services and the expectations that peo-ple may have about disabilities acquired late in life. This raises issues about the fears and anxieties that non-disabled seniors have about acquir-ing a disability as they age. This article addresses the most important as-pects of the reconceptualization of disability as it relates to the field of aging and proposes a model for addressing senior’s fears about acquiring a disabil-ity and preparing for life with disabilities typically acquired as people age. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service