The experience of older adults with anxiety and depression living in the community: Aging, occupation and mental wellbeing

Introduction As life expectancy grows so does the need for mental health services for older people. Occupational science and therapy literature demonstrates how occupation supports older adults' wellbeing, but there has been little research into the relationship between occupation and health for those with anxiety and depression. The aim of this study was to understand the occupational experience of Irish older adults with anxiety and depression so as to inform therapeutic programmes. Method A qualitative research design with a phenomenological framework was adopted. A total of five community-dwelling people with diagnoses of anxiety and/or depression were purposively selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings The themes which emerged - 'Occupation as a marker for wellness' and 'Sustaining a sense of occupational identity' - support existing literature and reveal new information about interactions between occupational identity crisis and mental health. Personally meaningful occupation which connects a person to their life worlds and sense of self has the potential to consolidate recovery from anxiety and depression. Conclusion The study contributes to knowledge on how occupation supports an older person's wellbeing and identity in the face of life changes, and has implications for occupational therapists working with older adults.