The meanings older people give to their rehabilitation experience

Abstract

Promoting older people's ability to manage at home is important both for themselves and for society, but few studies have explored whether geriatric rehabilitation actually meets the needs of this heterogeneous group. The purpose of this study was to investigate the meanings that older adults attribute to their geriatric rehabilitation experiences. A group of 27 older adults in inpatient rehabilitation were interviewed during the programme and after returning home. Semi-structured interviews were analysed using a qualitative method, which identified three categories of meaning. In the category ‘sense of confidence with everyday life’, rehabilitation was perceived as facilitating everyday living at home; in the category ‘sense of vacation’, rehabilitation was seen as a means of getting away from normal life and enjoying oneself; and in the category ‘sense of disappointment in the rehabilitation programme’, the participants expressed frustration with the limited opportunities to participate in the planning of their rehabilitation, and with the mismatch between the offered programme and what was needed. To promote older people's autonomy and to enhance their ability to live at home, professionals must involve their clients to a greater extent in the planning of the rehabilitation than is currently the case, and also individualise the rehabilitation regimen.

A concept analysis of confidence related to older people living with frailty

“…Acknowledging this, the concept of confidence is contextualized against the fluctuating physical, psychological and social domains (the columns connected to a range of attributes). The cross‐cutting characteristics of negative or positive inference features “control of physical and mental well‐being.” This control factor, or perceived control, be it explicit or implicit, appeared in several contemporary studies (Claassens et al, ; Parry, Steen, Galloway, Kenny, & Bond, ; Underwood, Kent, & James, ; Wallin et al, ; Yardley et al, ). It also was referred to indirectly in other studies referencing control associated perspectives within their text, using words such as participation, engagement, independence, self‐belief, knowledge, skills and security (Beesley, White, Alston, Sweetapple, & Pollack, ; McDougall & Balyer, ; B. McNamara et al, ; Sandberg et al, ).…”

“…Goal setting and goal attainment were identified in three studies associated with confidence building (Tung, Cooke, & Moyle, ; Wallin, Talvitie, Cattan, & Karppi, ; Yardley, Donovan‐Hall, Francis, & Todd, ). All were found to be positive, confidence growing, attributes.…”

Construction of Group Exercise Sessions in Geriatric Inpatient Rehabilitation

“…With these empowering elements, the structured approach was geared toward the more frail older adults. The group, however, was heterogeneous, and for some clients the structured approach with its predefined and nonindividualized exercise agenda was not sufficient (Wallin, Talvitie, Cattan, & Karppi, 2007).…”

Physiotherapists’ accounts of their clients in geriatric inpatient rehabilitation

“…These aspects were considered to a greater extent when older adults were positioned as partners and functional limitations were contemplated in relation to domestic daily living. This aspect was emphasised by some of the older adults participating in the Age study inpatient rehabilitation intervention (24). These older people stressed the enabling function of rehabilitation in relation to the performance of everyday tasks at home.…”

“…The semi‐structured interviews (23) were carried out by the first author during May through August, 2002. Each interview took place in the middle of the second inpatient period (11 days) of purposively selected rehabilitation courses (24). Leading questions were avoided and the informants were allowed to talk freely.…”