Daily Life Experience of Institutionalized Elderly People

Abstract

There is a continuous increase in the number of elderly people moving in to residential care facility in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Admission in to the residential facility perceived in Bahrain society as stigma, rejection for elders by their family members and a violation to Bahrain family values. Many adverse effects of institutionalizing elderly people were reported in literatures. This study aimed to explore the lived experience of institutionalized elderly people in order to generate appropriate interventions to smooth the transition in to the residential facility. A qualitative, phenomenological approach was used. The study was carried in one of the elderly residential health care institutions in the kingdom of Bahrain. The sample composed nine participants, were interviewed and audio recorded. The five themes emerged from the data analysis included: no choice, no freedom, killing routine, home of negligence, and elderly refuge. The conclusions involved implication for clinical practice, education and management. Future research in the same area was recommended.