J Korean Community Nurs.  2002 Dec;13(4):668-678.

The Experience of Institutionalization by the Elderly

• Lee GE

Abstract

PURPOSE
The number of nursing home residents has been increasing in Korea. Nurses need to know the lived experience of relocation of the elderly to long-term care facilities. However studies on this issue has not yet been conducted in Korea Therefore this study was carried out to understand the experience of institutionalization of the elderly using a phenomenological approach. METHOD: There were 11 participants who consisted of 5 men and 6 women living in 3 different nursing homes. The data was collected through in-depth interviews and participant observation from June 1999 to October 2001 and analyzed by Colazzi's phenomenological method. RESULT: A total of 275 meaningful statements related to the experience of institutionalization by the elderly were obtained Of the 275 statements. 175 were found as the statements with more general forms 28 themes were grouped into 8 theme clusters. These theme clusters included resentment at their sons irresistible admission humiliation on institutionalization being unbearable to shock grief to unfamiliarity being in agony of outwards regret for self-life and comfort for new residence.
CONCLUSION
Based on these results we con understand the lived experience of institutionalization of the Korean elderly We need to develop a nursing program to help the elderly cope with this crisis and studies about the familys experience on their parents admission to institutionalized facility warrant further exploration.

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Female
Grief
Humans
Institutionalization*
Korea
Long-Term Care
Male
Nursing
Nursing Homes
Parents
Shock