1. Health despite frailty: exploring influences on frail older adults' experiences of health
- Author
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Zahra Ebrahimi, Annika Jakobsson, Katarina Wilhelmson, Crystal Dea Moore, and Kajsa Eklund
- Subjects
Gerontology ,Aged, 80 and over ,business.industry ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Frail Elderly ,Health Status ,Context (language use) ,Sample (statistics) ,Categorization ,Reading (process) ,Medicine ,Humans ,Psychological resilience ,business ,Raw data ,Everyday life ,Theme (narrative) ,media_common ,Aged - Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore and identify influences on frail older adults’ experience of health. A sample of older adults, 11 men and 11 women aged 67e92, with diverse ratings of self-perceived health ranging from poor to excellent were selected through a purposeful strategic sampling of frail older adults taken from a broader sample from a quantitative study on health. In total, 22 individual qualitative interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis in which themes were developed from raw data through a systematic reading, categorization of selected text, theme development and interpretation. To feel assured and capable was the main theme, which consisted of five subthemes: managing the unpredictable body, reinforcing a positive outlook, remaining in familiar surroundings, managing everyday life, and having a sense of belonging and connection to the whole. The importance of supporting frail older adults in subjective resilience in their context is emphasized.
- Published
- 2012