THE OLDEST-OLD - AUTONOMY IN THE FACE OF FRAILTY

Autonomy, a core American value, is routinely invoked as a goal in ger ontological discussions of the aging process, yet frailty, another com monly used term in gerontology, suggests that functional losses may in terfere with individuals' ability to maintain autonomy in everyday lif e. Older persons who are impaired are seldom asked how they view thems elves with respect to autonomy and frailty, or what autonomy means. Th e meanings older persons attach to autonomy and decreases in physical abilities are explored through in-depth interviews with 28 persons age 80 or older. While autonomy encompassed a wide range of self-descript ions, respondents never used the word, frail, to describe themselves. I explore the potential of the construct of the lived body for a holis tic approach to aging that values embodied knowledge and experiences o f those who are old. I conclude that gerontological views of autonomy promote a cultural ideal that does not reflect elders' perspectives, a nd that the notion of frailty has the potential to stereotype elders, with negative effects on well being.