The Experience of Institutionalization by the Elderly

시설노인의 입소경험

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 Colaizzi'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 can 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.