Authors : Shahin Salarvand , Heidar Ali Abedi and Mansoureh Karimollahi
Abstract: The promotion of health and economic status in all over the world resulted in increasing the older population. It`s expected, at least 40% of the population over 75 years, need extensive health care services in the last parts of their lives. The rate of transferring the older people to the nursing home is increasing in Iran too. Understanding elder`s emotional experiences is important for living in nursing home and understanding why this relocation causes that elder views it as "final sign of failure" is important, because this perceptions and fears have negative effects on elder`s adaptation in countering with this challenge. This study aimed to describe emotional experiences of older people living in nursing homes. The qualitative phenomenological approach and purposive sampling amongst residents in private and governmental nursing homes in Esfahan city was applied. Sampling continued till data saturation, resulting sample size became 10 participants. The data was collected with in-depth interviews and field notes. Colaizzi`s method was used for data analysis and the rigor was based on transferability and credibility. Three themes were extracted from the data (structural components of experience), including: Residents` emotional experiences in nursing home life, Residents` emotional experiences at the entrance in nursing home and Feeling of powerlessness. In this study, older people have shown various emotions to relocation and residency in nursing homes. Older people, with different context and different history in their life, had unique experiences. In addition, it is essential to pay attention to social, financial, mental, spiritual and physical needs of older people as a holistic care, because concerning only physical needs of older people cannot lend to promote hopeful, meaningful and purposive life for them.
Shahin Salarvand , Heidar Ali Abedi and Mansoureh Karimollahi , 2008. The Final Sign of Failure of Older People Living in Nursing Homes . Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 2: 23-27.