Introduction: Chile has an advanced ageing process. By 2050, 32.1% will be aged 65+. Older people in the country experience increasing levels of occupational marginalisation and deprivation. The State has faced paradigmatic transformations in order to respond to the needs of the ageing population, moving from a welfare approach to a human rights approach.
Objective: Understanding how community-dwelling older people experience ageing and their occupational trajectories of care in metropolitan areas of Chile.
Methods: This qualitative study analyses the perceptions of ageing, old age and care-related occupations for community-dwelling older people. Through semi-structured interviews with 7 participants (6 women and 1 man) from urban areas of Valparaíso and the Metropolitan region, the study explores ideas, emotions, attitudes, values and anticipated needs related to care.
Results: The results show dual perceptions of ageing and old age (loneliness-companionship; ability to work-loss of ability; youth-old age; active-inactive; independence-dependence; autonomy-dependence; resilience-vulnerability), identifying retirement and the age of 60 as milestones in their occupational trajectories of care. Life plans, autonomy, health and family support are valued, while dependence, loneliness and poverty are feared. Care-related occupations and aspects of identity are considered decisive in the configuration of protective factors regardless of their current or past levels of income.
Discussion: The study highlights the importance of an occupational understanding in promoting well-being in old age from a human rights perspective, emphasising a person-centered approach about care, a person's life project and participation in meaningful occupations that strengthen autonomy and resilience in the course of ageing.