RESEARCH UNDERWAY

Living and Ageing with Multiple Sclerosis

Project team

Katrina Horman
Prof Gwynnyth Llewellyn
Prof Mark Mathews (USyd)

Overview

Multiple Sclerosis (MS), is a major neurological condition diagnosed in young adults, 90% between the ages of 15 and 50, often presenting with complex and diverse individual variability, and considerable disability. However, lifespan potential is not significantly changed, and although appropriate support for people ageing with long-term MS is a concern for health and service providers, the interaction between MS and ageing is not well understood. This study will explore the experience of people who have lived through early adulthood with MS disability and are now experiencing age related changes, to examine how their experiences have influenced their personal response to getting older.

Approach

MS Australia–ACT/NSW/VIC. will use the MS data base to randomly sample potential participants aged 65 and over, diagnosed with MS between ages 30 and 40 and who have accessed disability services, are fluent in English, and living in the Sydney metropolitan area. Up to 30 participants will be interviewed about living with MS through young adulthood, and their personal views about the impact of these experiences on how they approach and respond to changes associated with getting older.

Anticipated outcomes

The project aims to develop a conceptual framework to explain possible and likely interactions between early experiences and later responses to ageing with a disability. Understanding how the early years of living with a disability influences responses in later adulthood, will provide a basis for developing guidelines for services, both those supporting young adults with MS and those supporting individuals with MS as they grow older.