Abstract
The present study was intended to clarify the perception of old age and the self-image in future held by the elderly patients of integration dysfunction syndrome under a long-term hospitalization and thereby to obtain suggestions for practicing nursing activities. The subjects were 8 patients of integration dysfunction syndrome over the age of 65 years who were in hospital for more than 10 years in the psychiatric department. The authors conducted the semistructured interview with them, and made a qualitative and inductive analysis. As a result, the perception of old age could be described as "non-attainment of developmental tasks," "psychiatric hospital to become a last home in life," "resignation of unfulfilled desires" and "process approaching to death," while the self-image in future was depicted as "expectation is my spiritual nourishment", "letting a thing take its course," and "lack of the image in future." The reality depicted by those patients experiencing the old age in a long-term hospital life was a psychologically critical situation, in which it was hopeless to resume social life, but it was found that, by compromising on the existing living conditions, they managed to maintain a mental balance. In spite of the situation that there are no prospects for hospital discharge, it is necessary for us to extend the assistance to them so that they may each live a worthy life, satisfying their desires for self-realization as much as possible.
