“It is like living in a diminishing world”: older persons’ experiences of living with long-term health problems – prior to the STRENGTH intervention

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Ageing is often associated with multiple long-term health problems influencing older persons’ well-being in daily living. It is not unusual that the point of interest in research is often on the management of the actual health problem instead of being holistic and person-centred.

Purpose: To describe the phenomenon of living with long-term health problems that influence daily living, from the older persons’ perspective.

Methods: Qualitative individual interviews were conducted with 34 older persons living with long-term health problems. The data were analysed using a Reflected Lifeworld Research (RLR) approach, grounded in phenomenology. Results: Life with long-term health problems entails living in a diminishing world. It entails living in uncertainty, not being able to trust one’s own ability. The freedom to make decisions of your own is deprived by relatives and health-care providers. Living with long-term health problems entails being dependent on support in daily life and a strive to maintain meaningfulness in daily living.

Conclusions: The results address a need for extended individual and holistic guidance and support in living with long-term health problems to increase the older person’s sense of well-being and meaning in life.

KEYWORDS:

• Ageing
• health problem
• illness
• multimorbidity
• patient perspective
• phenomenology
• qualitative research
• reflective lifeworld research
• strength
• well-being

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to the healthcare providers and development manager who assisted with the recruitment of the study participants. Also, a special thanks to the older persons that shared their experiences of living with long-term health problems; without them this study would not have been possible.

Authors’ Contributions

All the authors (CÅ, CG, JH, MB) designed the study. Further, all the authors participated in preparing data collection. The interviews were carried out and transcribed by the first author. All the authors analyzed the data and prepared the manuscript for submission. All the authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Sweden and by the Skaraborg Institute for Research and Development, Sweden.

Notes on contributors

Cecilia Åberg

Cecilia Åberg is a PhD-student in Health and Care Sciences at the Research School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Sweden. She is a registered nurse and lecturer in nursing at the School of Health and Education, University of Skövde, Sweden. Her dissertation studies consists of evaluating an intervention, reflective STRENGTH-giving dialogues to older persons living with long-term health problems.

Catharina Gillsjö

Catharina Gilljsö, PhD, FNP, RN, Associate Professor, is a registered nurse with a post graduate diploma as a public health specialist in nursing, and a family nurse practitioner with a master of science in nursing. She earned her PhD in a Joint PhD Programme in Nursing between University of Rhode Island, USA and University of Skövde, Sweden. Her research interest includes the health and well-being of older adults in various contexts, especially that of the home. It also encompasses common health problems associated with ageing, such as long-term musculoskeletal pain. Catharina is a lecturer at University of Skövde with a special educational interest in advanced practice nursing. She is interested in national and international collaboration in research and education.

Jenny Hallgren

Jenny Hallgren holds a position as a senior lecturer at the University of Skövde. She has a PhD in gerontology from the Institute of Gerontology, Jönköping University, is a registered nurse and have several years of experience working in the acute care setting. Her research focuses on different aspects of health care utilization among older persons, from both an individual and organizational perspective, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Mia Berglund

Mia Berglund is a registered nurse with a PhD in caring science. The focus of her research is on the phenomenon learning in living with long-term illness and to develop support for this learning, in aim to support health and well-being. Her research interests include students and health professionals learning, with particular focus on reflection and supervision in groups. Mia is an Associate Professor in Nursing at the University of Skövde, Sweden.