Elderly residents’ participation and autonomy within a geriatric ward in a public institution

Abstract

In this study the importance of the concept of autonomy among residents in geriatric institutions was investigated. By granting the residents more autonomy, their satisfaction increased, their daily routine changed, and their participation in social activity increased. Correlation was found between the degree of autonomy and the degree of the participation in different activities within the ward. The conclusion reached is that the residents' quality of life improves with more autonomy within the institution's framework.

No country for old men? The role of a ‘Gentlemen's Club’ in promoting social engagement and psychological well-being in residential care

“…For example, Garcia-Martin and colleagues (Garcia-Martin, Gomez-Jactino, MartimportuguesGoyenechea, 2004) found that diverse leisure activities (e.g., fitness exercise, computing, handcraft, and art lessons) had a positive effect on perceived social support, and that this was associated with decreased depression and increased life satisfaction. More recently, Park (2009) showed that the development of meaningful relationships with other residents and staff was a critical factor in increasing mental health (see also Barkay & Tabak, 2002;Cheng, 2009;Cummings, 2002). Complementing this work, there is some evidence for the negative experience that men may encounter in care.…”

Older people’s experiences of their free will in nursing homes

“…This is in line with previous studies. 7,22,23,29,30 Even if older people have a free will to make decisions, for example, having a bedpan, having incontinence pads changed or getting up from bed, they do not necessarily have autonomy to execute these decisions. We cannot talk about patient-centred care in this case.…”

“…35,36 Interviews The descriptions of the phenomenon were elicited through open-ended unstructured interviews 37 (Table 1). An interview guide based on previous studies was used, 5,6,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] pre-tested in two pilot interviews, evaluated with the research group and used during the interviews. Small talk was used to establish a relaxed and confidential atmosphere.…”

Social inclusion of older adults in care: Is it just a question of providing activities?

“…Diener, Tamir & Scollon, 2006;Landau & Litwin, 2001;Stathi, Fox & McKenna, 2002). For example, the more a person ''feels'' satisfied with life and enjoys a sense of well-being, the more likely he/she will be to partake in social activities, develop friendships, explore interests, and enhance his/her quality of life and life expectancy (Barkay & Tabak, 2002;Pitts, Krieger & Nussbaum, 2005). Given older adults' changing circumstances when they enter an aged-care facility, it is important to understand their experiences in order to get a sense of what it is like to be in their shoes, as such an understanding shifts the focus of care quality from the domains of structure and process to the domains of individual needs and quality of life (Lowe, Lucas, Robinson & Crystal, 2004).…”