The Process of Older People Transition from Home to Aged Care Home: A Grounded Theory Study

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Ageing is one of the global social issues. Older people are vulnerable to physical frailty and their needs to care extended. Also, a lack of receiving the necessary care from their families may force them to spend the rest of their life in institutions such as aged care homes. Moving into the aged care home as a kind of transition, causes tension and stress in the residents. Therefore, due to long term and even permanent residence in aged care home, their perceptions of the nature of transition from home to aged care home is the remarkably important. This study aimed to discover the process of transition from home to aged care home in Iranian society. Method: This qualitative study was carried out according to grounded theory approach, between 2014 and 2016. The field of present study was the aged care homes in East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Ardabil and Tehran provinces. Major source of data collection was in-depth interviews, also observation used as supplementary. Purposeful and theoretical sampling was used and participants included 22 residents, 4 formal caregivers, and 2 family members. Data was analyzed based on Strauss and Corbin method 2008. Finding: The following nine categories were emerged from the data analysis, namely: "fragile balance requirements / source", "transition triggers", "aged care home stigma", "aged care home defective structure", "decision making to enter and stay" "residence monitoring", "sense of loss", "Passive liberation struggle" and " emotional exhaustion". These main categories were consisted of 26 subcategories. "Failure in liberation effort from loss" was recognized as the core variable that represents transition from home to aged care home in study setting, and can relate all categories together. Conclusion: according to the study findings, transition from home to aged care home is unsuccessful in Iranian older people. Identification of this process and its contributing factors and consequences will facilitate the transition process by determining current problems and their related strategies. Older people experience following transition to aged care home indicates the need for a review of Iranian aged care services.