Our results suggest that differences in patients' perspectives on the rehabilitation process need to be taken into account to enhance outcomes. Inadequate knowledge and engagement on the part of patients, with a hip fracture, probably have an impact on their rehabilitation outcome, but the degree of impact is uncertain.

As feelings of identity and integrity are important for old people's efforts to maintain a healthy life, experiences of powerlessness ought to be prevented. This paper describes sources of powerlessness in nursing home life. Participant observations regarding lucid, elderly patients were undertaken in two Swedish nursing home wards. The observations focused on interactions on the wards, observed patient reactions and structural/functional conditions of life on the wards. The constant, comparative analysis searched for events or conditions which seemed to result in reactions signifying positive or negative experiences. Tender, loving care, strong cohesion and affection between patients and personnel were typical of the observations, yet patients complained of imprisonment, powerlessness and hopelessness. Observations are reported as related to legitimate, reward, expert, informational and reference power, self-confidence/respect and socialization. Also existential sources of powerlessness were identified. It is concluded that many factors co-operate to create feelings of powerlessness in the patients. Empowerment measures are suggested on organizational, interactional and personal levels.

This qualitative study explored the day-to-day life of people aged 50þ diagnosed with ADHD. A phenomenological-hermeneutical method was chosen for the analysis. Two themes including subthemes were revealed. The first theme, Being different and trying to handle my inner self, concerned emotional self-regulation, emotional resilience, social skills, and personal resource management. The second theme, Trying to adapt to fit in with people around me, concerned relationships, work, and personal finances. The comprehensive understanding was interpreted as Being different but striving to seem normal.

The purpose of this study was to investigate what concept of health was relevant for old people. Interviews were made with men and women aged over 60, institutionalised for somatic long-term care. Data were gathered in unstructured interviews and analysed by means of the ethnonursing method. The interviewees' descriptions of health were arranged as a concept model, consisting of three hierarchical levels. The first level dealt with the possibility of living a fairly comfortable life. The second level was concerned with positive self-esteem and the third and most crucial one described the existence or non-existence of a mental state of mind defined as peace of mind. The results were compared with existing health definitions and psychological/philosophical theories. The conclusion was that health definitions stressing physical, mental, and social perfection were not relevant for old people, whereas multidimensional health models such as those of Eriksson and Smith appeared to be adequate measures in planning for old people. The comparison with Homburger Erikson's theory and with existentialism revealed many corresponding traits, which might explain some of the differences between the patients and might also give the hope of a possibility of adequate nursing support. Religion was no discriminating factor in this material. As the third level was presented as the most important one and nursing support seemed possible, further investigations were suggested.

As peace of mind has been reported by elderly nursing home patients to be an important aspect of health, registered nurses were asked how they could support the attainment of this state of mind in elderly, lucid patients. Four aspects of nursing support were found: support through instrumental activities, through daily coexistence, through genuine encounters and through empowering supportive interventions. Included in professional nursing was not only the responsibility for all nursing performed in the ward, but also the empowering support, health education (support to acquire a realistic picture of the situation) and support in dealing with situations at hand. It was concluded that these functions in nursing home care needed further attention and research.

The purpose of this paper is to define the concept of cogitation in order to promote theoretical clarity in research focusing on elderly nursing home patients. A concept analysis was undertaken, using the method described by Schwartz-Barcott & Kim (1986). After extensive dictionary searches, reviews of literature and a fieldwork phase, tentative criteria and a preliminary definition of the concept of cogitation were formulated, antecedents and consequences were defined, and demonstration cases presented.

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