Carrying on life at home or moving to a nursing home: frail older people’s experiences of at-homeness

Aims and objectives The aim was to explore frail older people’s lived experiences of managing life at home on the verge of moving to a nursing home. Background As people age, their reserve capacity decreases, increasingthe risk of morbidity and frailty.. The experience of frailty extends beyond declining health and physical well-being and encompasses various dimensions, including familiarity with both the place and the people around. Design A phenomenological study. Methods We interviewed ten frail people aged 72–90 years in-depth in their homes. We used phenomenological hermeneutical analysis inspired by van Manen and followed the COREQ checklist. Results We identified three main themes: (1) being home with cherished people and possessions, (2) giving the nursing home a go and (3) attuning to the natural rhythms. Conclusions Our study gives insight into the lived experiences with frailty related to at-homeness. The experience of being lost in transition represents a uniquely significant experience for frail older people, foregrounding existential issues and carrying the potential of at-homeness.publishedVersio

In the borderland of the body: How home-dwelling older people experience frailty

Rationale The increasing number of frail home-dwelling older people has sharpened the focus on discovering and implementing suitable treatment and care in clinical practice, aiming to prevent loss of physical functioning and preserve their autonomy and well-being. People's embodied experiences may yield rich descriptions to help to understand frailty. Thoroughly understanding older people's individual perceptions is especially relevant because the numbers of home-dwelling older people are increasing, and people tend to develop more health problems and become frailer as they age. Their perspectives are important to develop knowledge and high-quality care. Aim To explore the lived experiences of frail home-dwelling older people. Methods We conducted a phenomenological study to obtain in-depth descriptions of the phenomenon. We interviewed 10 home-dwelling older adults (seven women and three men, 72–90 years old) in depth about their lived experience of frailty. We analysed the data using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach described by van Manen. Findings The lived experience of frailty is described in one essential theme: frailty as being in the borderland of the body, including three interrelated subthemes: (1) the body shuts down; (2) living on the edge; and (3) not giving up. Conclusions Our study gives insight into lived experiences with frailty among home-dwelling older people related to their own body. Older people's experience of meaningful activities strengthened their feeling of being themselves, despite their frail and deteriorating body. Healthcare providers must consider the strategies of frail older people to consider both their vulnerabilities and self-perceived strengths. The resources and deficits of frail older people present in the state of being frail need to be recognised.publishedVersio

End-of-life care at home : Dignity of family caregivers

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Lost in transition? How frail older people experience at-homeness

Background The experience of frailtyextends beyond declininghealth and physical wellbeing and encompassesvarious dimensions,including physiological andsocial functioning.Research questionThe research questionguiding our study was: Howdo frail older peopleexperience at-homeness?MethodFrom a purposive samplingstrategy, ten frail people72–90 years old wereinterviewed in depth in theirhomes. We usedphenomenologicalhermeneutical analysis andfollowed the COREQchecklist. The study waspresented to the WesternNorway RegionalCommittee for Medical andHealth Research Ethicsand approved by theNorwegian Centre forResearch Data (Ref.61202). DiscussionOur study highlights that frailty disruptedparticipants’ rhythm and continuity ineveryday life at home. Short-term stays ata nursing home further forced participants’lives into a new rhythm not in tune withtheir own. FindingsAn overall finding was that theparticipants wanted to regain a feeling ofat-homeness in their experience of notbeing at home. We identified three mainthemes: (1) being home with cherishedpeople and possessions, (2) giving thenursing home a go and (3) attuning tothe natural rhythms. For home-dwellingfrail older people, life is balancingbetween living safely in their own homeor needing to move into a nursing home. ConclusionsOur study provides insight into the livedexperiences with frailty related to athomeness. The experience of being lostin transition represents a uniquelysignificant experience for frail olderpeople, foregrounding existential issues,carrying the potential of at-homeness

Carrying on life at home or moving to a nursing home: frail older people’s experiences of at-homeness

Aims and objectives The aim was to explore frail older people’s lived experiences of managing life at home on the verge of moving to a nursing home. Background As people age, their reserve capacity decreases, increasingthe risk of morbidity and frailty.. The experience of frailty extends beyond declining health and physical well-being and encompasses various dimensions, including familiarity with both the place and the people around. Design A phenomenological study. Methods We interviewed ten frail people aged 72–90 years in-depth in their homes. We used phenomenological hermeneutical analysis inspired by van Manen and followed the COREQ checklist. Results We identified three main themes: (1) being home with cherished people and possessions, (2) giving the nursing home a go and (3) attuning to the natural rhythms. Conclusions Our study gives insight into the lived experiences with frailty related to at-homeness. The experience of being lost in transition represents a uniquely significant experience for frail older people, foregrounding existential issues and carrying the potential of at-homeness. Relevance to practice To unleash frail older people’s potential for at-homeness, health professionals must meet the needs of frail older people individually. Going beyond signs and symptoms to reveal people’s concrete everyday experiences is crucial to understanding frailty

In the borderland of the body: How home-dwelling older people experience frailty

Rationale The increasing number of frail home-dwelling older people has sharpened the focus on discovering and implementing suitable treatment and care in clinical practice, aiming to prevent loss of physical functioning and preserve their autonomy and well-being. People's embodied experiences may yield rich descriptions to help to understand frailty. Thoroughly understanding older people's individual perceptions is especially relevant because the numbers of home-dwelling older people are increasing, and people tend to develop more health problems and become frailer as they age. Their perspectives are important to develop knowledge and high-quality care. Aim To explore the lived experiences of frail home-dwelling older people. Methods We conducted a phenomenological study to obtain in-depth descriptions of the phenomenon. We interviewed 10 home-dwelling older adults (seven women and three men, 72–90 years old) in depth about their lived experience of frailty. We analysed the data using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach described by van Manen. Findings The lived experience of frailty is described in one essential theme: frailty as being in the borderland of the body, including three interrelated subthemes: (1) the body shuts down; (2) living on the edge; and (3) not giving up. Conclusions Our study gives insight into lived experiences with frailty among home-dwelling older people related to their own body. Older people's experience of meaningful activities strengthened their feeling of being themselves, despite their frail and deteriorating body. Healthcare providers must consider the strategies of frail older people to consider both their vulnerabilities and self-perceived strengths. The resources and deficits of frail older people present in the state of being frail need to be recognised

Carrying on life at home or moving to a nursing home: frail older people’s experiences of at-homeness

Aims and objectives The aim was to explore frail older people’s lived experiences of managing life at home on the verge of moving to a nursing home. Background As people age, their reserve capacity decreases, increasingthe risk of morbidity and frailty.. The experience of frailty extends beyond declining health and physical well-being and encompasses various dimensions, including familiarity with both the place and the people around. Design A phenomenological study. Methods We interviewed ten frail people aged 72–90 years in-depth in their homes. We used phenomenological hermeneutical analysis inspired by van Manen and followed the COREQ checklist. Results We identified three main themes: (1) being home with cherished people and possessions, (2) giving the nursing home a go and (3) attuning to the natural rhythms. Conclusions Our study gives insight into the lived experiences with frailty related to at-homeness. The experience of being lost in transition represents a uniquely significant experience for frail older people, foregrounding existential issues and carrying the potential of at-homeness

Av og til helbrede, ofte lindre – alltid trøste Helsepersonell gjør hver dag vurderinger og tar beslutninger i situasjoner knyttet til pasienter med komplekse og ustabile helsetilstander.

I denne kronikken belyses utfordringer for leger og sykepleiere i sykehjem, som hver dag vurderer og tar beslutninger i ulike situasjoner knyttet til pasienter med komplekse- og ustabile helsetilstander. Her kan grensen mellom aktiv kurativ behandling og lindrende behandling være utfordrende å definere.Av og til helbrede, ofte lindre – alltid trøste Helsepersonell gjør hver dag vurderinger og tar beslutninger i situasjoner knyttet til pasienter med komplekse og ustabile helsetilstander.publishedVersio