Experiences in Daily Life among Older Adults Living Alone after One Month from Discharge

Abstract

  This study aims to identify experiences in daily life of older adults who lived alone with diseases or functional disorders one month after being discharged from hospital to their homes. We conducted semi-structured interviews to 11 people discharged from convalescent rehabilitation wards. The data were analyzed using qualitative and descriptive analysis. The results showed that they experienced “being not too bad, although there are things which are impossible to do now,” “doing what I should do to protect by myself or with help,” “thanking family and relatives and restraining myself from further burdening them,” “having indispensable things and pleasures for life,” “facing and coping with my weakening, death, and disasters that will come someday,” and “finding that living alone enables me to call the shots by myself, but it comes with responsibility and determination.” The older adults also experienced “having belief and carefully doing things good to do and not good to do.” The findings suggested that the need for support to minimize the risks caused by different actions from the instructions given at the time of discharge, while simultaneously respecting the actions of older adults living alone taken based on their beliefs.