Autonomy in long-term elderly care
Das, Mun (2017)
Das, Mun
Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulu
2017
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017102016202
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2017102016202
Tiivistelmä
Elderly people are a vulnerable group in the society due to their decreased health condition. For this reason, they are often dependent on care services and entering a long-term care institution is also a difficult challenge for them. In institutional care, numerous factors affect the self-determination and autonomy of the elderly residents. Autonomy in long-term care is a very important aspect in the lives of the elderly people.
The purpose of this study is mainly to investigate the autonomy of the elderly in long-term care based on the theories of self-determination and autonomy. The study aims to address two research questions. First, which factors mostly affect the autonomy of the elderly in long-term care? Second, what kind of opportunities the elderly people have to exercise their autonomy in long-term care? In this study, a non-systematic and traditional literature review method has been applied. Electronic databases were used for data collection, which were then analysed by employing the abductive content analysis approach.
The study found five different factors which affect the autonomy of the elderly in a long-term care. These include freedom to choose, dependency, dignity, paternalism and frailty or disability. The study also found a few opportunities that can help exercise autonomy in long-term care settings. Such opportunities include proper opportunities to use self-management abilities, addressing and digging out the capability of older residents and changing the view of caregivers to the vulnerable elderly. Future studies should explore the capacity and ability of the elderly with severe mental impairments. To improve the well-being of the elderly, we need to know more about the policy and regulations of different care settings as well.
The purpose of this study is mainly to investigate the autonomy of the elderly in long-term care based on the theories of self-determination and autonomy. The study aims to address two research questions. First, which factors mostly affect the autonomy of the elderly in long-term care? Second, what kind of opportunities the elderly people have to exercise their autonomy in long-term care? In this study, a non-systematic and traditional literature review method has been applied. Electronic databases were used for data collection, which were then analysed by employing the abductive content analysis approach.
The study found five different factors which affect the autonomy of the elderly in a long-term care. These include freedom to choose, dependency, dignity, paternalism and frailty or disability. The study also found a few opportunities that can help exercise autonomy in long-term care settings. Such opportunities include proper opportunities to use self-management abilities, addressing and digging out the capability of older residents and changing the view of caregivers to the vulnerable elderly. Future studies should explore the capacity and ability of the elderly with severe mental impairments. To improve the well-being of the elderly, we need to know more about the policy and regulations of different care settings as well.