Theoretical background
The capability approach (CA) developed by The
capability approach developed by Amartya Sen
has become increasingly prominent in the field of
research in regard to ageing and policy making.
The framework of the capability approach
emphasizes the need for evaluation and
assessment of each individual’s abilities based on
actual achievements i.e. what the unique person
is able to do and achieve, since it affects quality
of life and constitutes a person’s well-being.
Karolinska Institutet
Marie Olsen
PhD student • Nursing and Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society
Understanding older people’s experiences of home care
through the capability approach
REFERENCES
Robeyns (2005b). Selecting capabilities for quality of life measurement. Social Indicators Research,
74(1):191–215.
Sen Amartya K. (1995) Gender, Inequality and Theories of Justice, in: Nussbaum and Glover(eds),
Women, Culture and Development: a Study of Human Capabilities (Oxford, Clarendon Press),
pp. 259–273.
Stephens, et al. (2015). "Healthy ageing from the perspective of older people: a capability
approach to resilience." Psychol Health 30(6): 715-731.
Verd & López,(2011) The Rewards of a Qualitative Approach to Life-Course Research.
The Example of the Effects of Social Protection Policies on Career Paths. Forum: Qualitative Social
Research, 12(3), Art. 15. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1103152.
Vergunst, et.al. (2014). Application of Sen’s Capability Approach to Outcome Measurement in
Mental Health Research: Psychometric Validation of a Novel Multidimensional Instrument
(OxCap-MH). Human Welfare, 3, 1-4.
Introduction
The discourse of today’s healthy ageing
emphasizes each individual’s responsibility for
achieving good health, often ignoring broader
circumstances (Stephens et al., 2015). Therefore,
there is a need for a perspective including several
dimensions in healthy ageing, e.g. the physical
and psychological changes of ageing, and the
personal view of the elderly of what is valuable for
their healthy ageing.
Olsen, M
1,2
., McKee, K
1
., Dahlberg, L
1,3
, Udo, C
1
.
1) Dalarna University, Sweden., 2) Karolinska Institut, Sweden., 3) Aging Research Center, Sweden
.
The core concepts of CA
In the theoretical framework of CA, well-being is
constituted by a person’s unique way of
functioning and capabilities. This means that a
person's well-being is personal and involves
freedom of choice which in turn means they
have a number of options. Although many
people may have the same resources, it is of
importance to study how these resources are
converted into how they function. Thus,
well-being is about the person's freedom to achieve
in general and the capabilities to function in
particular (Sen, 1995).
• Functioning's are the “beings and doings” of
a person.
• What do I have? What can I aquire?
Functions
• Capability refers to the set of valuable
functioning´s that a person has effective
access to, has reason to value and is able to
achieve.
Capabilities
• An individual’s capability set is the set of
valuable functioning´s that an individual has
real access to.
Capability
set
Figure 2. Outline of the core relationships in the CA. Note: Authors adaptation, based
on Verd & López (2011).
Structure of the CA
Critiques against the CA
The capability approach has been criticized for
being too individual-centered and not taking
sufficient account to social structures in society.
It is difficult to know what a person would choose
to do if other options were available. Therefore, to
operationalize abilities involves uncertainties.
Figure 1. The core concepts of capability approach
.
Strength of the capability approach
The capability approach is a useful tool for
matching objective evaluations with subjective
metrics. Furthermore, although one’s individual
abilities are in focus, contextual factors, and
subjective perceptions and experiences, are
taken into consideration.
E-post:
marie.olsen@.ki.se
moe@du.se
