Coping with the changes in living environment faced by older persons who relocate to a health-care facility in Japan

• Published in: Japan journal of nursing science : JJNS 2007-06, Vol.4 (1), p.27-38
• Main Authors: KOMATSU, Misa, HAMAHATA, Akiko, MAGILVY, Joan K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coping; elderly; environment; health-care facility; institutionalization; Older people
• ISSN: 1742-7932; 1742-7924
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-7924.2007.00073.x

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to clarify how older people cope with the changes they faced in their living environment after relocating to a health‐care facility for the elderly and to consider their coping characteristics. Methods:  Employing a qualitative descriptive study design using multiple case studies, we continuously interviewed and observed eight older residents after they moved into a health‐care facility. We selected the model of Moos & Schaefer (1986) as a framework for analysis because it is thought to lead to an understanding of the experience of older people relocating to a nursing home and to effective nursing intervention. Results:  Although not shown in the constituent categories of the model, it became necessary to include the typical experiences of these Japanese residents of health‐care facilities for the elderly in the study as constituent categories of the model. With the addition of these experiences as constituent categories, the model is thought to become more appropriate for understanding people that have relocated to health‐care facilities for the elderly in Japan. There were the three categories of support influencing adaptive tasks, tasks for life integration, which are growth tasks for the elderly, and the resolution of unrecognized problems, which are adaptive tasks not recognized by the person in question. Conclusions:  The conceptual model in this study is thought to be useful in considering the care of older residents when they enter a health‐care facility.