Enhancing well-being in later life: the interplay of mobility limitation, psychological adaptation, and assistive technology.

Abstract

Purpose: The experience of mobility limitations can compromise well-being in older adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the psychological mechanisms through which mobility limitations affect well-being and to evaluate how assistive technology might support these underlying processes among older adults.

Materials and methods: Using data from the 2015-2017 rounds of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 5,091), we conducted mediation analysis to determine if dispositional tenacity and flexibility in 2016 linked mobility limitations in 2015 to well-being in 2017. Moderation analysis evaluated whether assistive technology use in 2015 supported tenacity and flexibility in the subsequent year.

Results: In 2015, 693 (13.6%) and 685 (13.5%) older adults reported mobility limitations when going outside and getting around inside, respectively. Mobility limitations had negative direct and indirect associations with well-being through pathways of reduced dispositional tenacity and flexibility. In the context of going outside, assistive technology use mitigated the impact of mobility limitation and supported the dual processes of tenacity and flexibility. However, for getting around inside, assistive technology use was associated with reduced dispositional tenacity and flexibility and further exacerbated the negative impact of mobility limitation.

Conclusions: This study highlights the psychological mechanisms that connect mobility limitations to well-being. Findings suggest that deploying tailored assistive technology may protect older adults' well-being by supporting their psychological adaptation to age-related challenges.