Women Ageing with Polio in Taiwan: a Life Course Approach

Despite the growing interest in the ageing experiences of disabled people, little is known about the ageing experience of people living with lifelong impairments and the challenges they face over time. This thesis aims to explore the experiences of women ageing with childhood-onset polio in Taiwan, taking a life course approach. The methodology adopted is qualitative, with life history interviews being conducted with ten women with childhood-onset polio aged from 50 to 60 years, who contracted polio before the age of five. Analysis of these interviews provides an understanding of what life is like for these women who have grown old with childhood-onset polio, and how their previous life experiences shape their current lives.
The women experience multiple oppression based on disability, gender, age and class, and this prevents them from fully participating in society throughout the course of their lives. Lack of early support creates disadvantages for the women, and puts them at a risk as they grow old. Disabled women are often perceived as passive, dependent and weak, but these women’s experiences can be read as a counter-narrative to discrimination against disabled women. It shows how disabled women develop strategies to resist oppression and regain control of their lives. The research findings extend the limited understanding of women ageing with lifelong impairments. A number of insights are provided for policy development, service provision and future research.