The Situations in Which Elderly with Dementia Require Advocacy in Daily Life and the Practice of Advocacy by Nurses at Elderly Care Facilities

Abstract

  This study aimed to clarify situations in which elderly individuals with dementia require advocacy in their daily lives and advocacy practices for them provided by nurses at elderly care facilities. After conducting a semi-structured interview survey with nine nurses certified in dementia-nursing at elderly care facilities, we performed a qualitative analysis. Situations in which the elderly residents with dementia require advocacy were “an inability to make decisions”, “a lack of respect for their dignity”, and “having difficulty communicating in a group living environment”. With regard to advocacy, the nurses practiced “support for the decision-making process”, “protection of residents’ interests”, “respect for residents’ dignity”, and “adjustments to improve group living”. Our results showed that the nurses practiced advocacy for elderly individuals with dementia in order to enable them to live with dignity. It is crucial for nurses to understand the various dimensions of the residents’ environment while achieving an adequate balance between decision-making support and the protection of residents’ interests.