The "Experience of Receiving Care" of Inpatients 75 Years and Over

─ Focusing on the Nurses' Care

Abstract

Purpose: This study was designed to explore the experiences of very old people who are hospitalized and require care from nurses to carry out everyday activities.
Method: Participant observation at a hospital and semi-structured interviews were conducted with five very old people. The data obtained was analyzed using qualitative and descriptive methods.
Findings: The study participants were experiencing having "to face the reality of becoming unable to do things" while "being distressed about their body not moving as they want". In addition, in an attempt "to live their own life", they were making an effort "to give care a meaning" as an act that is beneficial for themselves. On the other hand, there was an inpatient who was unable to accept the nurse's involvement as care and thus experienced the "feeling of his life being controlled".
Conclusion: It was suggested that by choosing nursing care of their own will, seeing it as beneficial, and ascribing a positive meaning to the care, these very old people are trying to come to terms with the conflict between their former self-image as being able to live independently and their current state of relying on nursing care.