Theme 1: “The body as a hindrance”
| Personal hindrances | |
| Physical | “Most housework I can't do. Can't vacuum, I can't do the bathroom or anything like that.” (Nancy, female, 51 years) |
| Spontaneity | “Running around the oval after my little boy. I have to stop, take some medication, give it 5 minutes, then chase him. I can't just go ‘Let's go now!’ you know.” (Stephanie, female, 38 years) |
| Independence | “[I'd like to] enjoy my day, being able to do the things I can't do, and not having to depend on anybody.” (Katherine, female, 59 years) |
| Interpersonal hindrances | |
| Socialising | “People are offended if you say you can't come to a dinner … I guess it's fair to say there's some friends who won't ask me to things [anymore].” (Paul, male, 62 years) |
| Relationships | “He loves camping but I can't go where you can't get phone reception. And the sex [is unattractive due to shortness of breath] … And yeah that relationship, it's gone to crap [sic].” (Casey, female, 48 years) |
| Parenting | “When my kids were young I really couldn't play with them all that much.” (Larry, male, 54 years) |
| Extrapersonal hindrances | |
| Career choice | “I was knocked back [from nursing] due to my asthma. And that would probably have been the hardest thing because it was the only thing I had ever wanted to do.” (Nancy, female, 51 years) |
| Career discontinuation | “There comes a point where you can't do the job anymore so you've got to get out of there and let someone else do the job.” (Larry, male, 54 years) |
| Emotional distress | “It's frustrating, upsetting. There's things I really wanted to do and I haven't been able to do … It does make you depressed, because people don't see the sickness that has happened over my life.” (Brenda, female, 53 years) |
| “On some occasions the mind's there and wants to do it but the body can't keep up … and it sort of makes you feel worthless in a way.” (Neil, male, 60 years) |