Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The experience of quality of life among older people

Borglin, Gunilla LU ; Edberg, Anna-Karin LU and Rahm Hallberg, Ingalill LU (2005) In Journal of Aging Studies 19(2). p.201-220
Abstract
Although quality of life has been in the focus of attention for over a decade there are few studies available investigating, how the old and the oldest old experience their quality of life or what quality of life actually means for them? To illuminate this, eleven in-depth interviews were conducted with six women and five men (80+) living in their home. An interpretative hermeneutic phenomenological analysis revealed that quality of life in old age meant a preserved self and meaning in existence. Maintained self-image meant that the older people experienced a coherent life with an intact meaning. How quality of life was valued depended on the meaning the old people attached to the areas of importance as well as how they were evaluated.... (More)
Although quality of life has been in the focus of attention for over a decade there are few studies available investigating, how the old and the oldest old experience their quality of life or what quality of life actually means for them? To illuminate this, eleven in-depth interviews were conducted with six women and five men (80+) living in their home. An interpretative hermeneutic phenomenological analysis revealed that quality of life in old age meant a preserved self and meaning in existence. Maintained self-image meant that the older people experienced a coherent life with an intact meaning. How quality of life was valued depended on the meaning the old people attached to the areas of importance as well as how they were evaluated. Additionally, areas not generally included when measuring quality of life became discernible. The meaning of home, how life was viewed, thoughts about death and dying, and telling ones story proved to be areas of importance for their perception of quality of life. Thus, indicating that older people's view of quality of life is more complex than some of today's most commonly used quality of life instruments capture and that quality of life assessment tools needs to measure beyond pure health indices. For nursing care the use of life review in everyday care, and an open way towards existential topics as well as a family oriented care along with preventive work helping people to remain in their own homes may enhance their experience of quality of life. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
significant others, reminisce, older people, quality of life, meaning in life, nursing, the self, world, life course
in
Journal of Aging Studies
volume
19
issue
2
pages
201 - 220
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000229525900005
  • scopus:18444387423
ISSN
0890-4065
DOI
10.1016/j.jaging.2004.04.001
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Nursing (Closed 2012) (013065000), The Vårdal Institute (016540000)
id
d505acb2-ecd4-4154-8e29-4f12d90e23e0 (old id 895383)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:16:31
date last changed
2022-04-21 05:09:41
@article{d505acb2-ecd4-4154-8e29-4f12d90e23e0,
  abstract     = {{Although quality of life has been in the focus of attention for over a decade there are few studies available investigating, how the old and the oldest old experience their quality of life or what quality of life actually means for them? To illuminate this, eleven in-depth interviews were conducted with six women and five men (80+) living in their home. An interpretative hermeneutic phenomenological analysis revealed that quality of life in old age meant a preserved self and meaning in existence. Maintained self-image meant that the older people experienced a coherent life with an intact meaning. How quality of life was valued depended on the meaning the old people attached to the areas of importance as well as how they were evaluated. Additionally, areas not generally included when measuring quality of life became discernible. The meaning of home, how life was viewed, thoughts about death and dying, and telling ones story proved to be areas of importance for their perception of quality of life. Thus, indicating that older people's view of quality of life is more complex than some of today's most commonly used quality of life instruments capture and that quality of life assessment tools needs to measure beyond pure health indices. For nursing care the use of life review in everyday care, and an open way towards existential topics as well as a family oriented care along with preventive work helping people to remain in their own homes may enhance their experience of quality of life.}},
  author       = {{Borglin, Gunilla and Edberg, Anna-Karin and Rahm Hallberg, Ingalill}},
  issn         = {{0890-4065}},
  keywords     = {{significant others; reminisce; older people; quality of life; meaning in life; nursing; the self; world; life course}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{201--220}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Aging Studies}},
  title        = {{The experience of quality of life among older people}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2004.04.001}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jaging.2004.04.001}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}