The study was designed using a hermeneutic approach to explore embodiment and taken-for-granted bodily sensations. Identification of paradigm cases and themes were used to analyze narrative data.

Twelve community-dwelling women (60-80 y/o), who reported no difficulty with daily activities, participated in repeated interviews and observations conducted over 6 months.

Older women experienced a variety of bodily sensations and these sensations were understood based on women’s concerns and previous bodily experiences. Women reported sensations that made the body feel conspicuous, (in one woman’s words “feeling like an elephant trying to dance”). In contrast, long-standing sensations had receded into the background and were therefore difficult for women to notice. These patterns became visible overtime through multiple participant observations. These findings provide a basis to detect subtle functional changes associated with the onset of functional decline. Funded by NINR 5F31NR008985.