Meaning-in-life in nursing-home patients: a valuable approach for enhancing psychological and physical well-being?

Background: The experience of meaning has been found to be a strong individual predictor of life satisfaction and an important psychological variable that promotes well-being. Therefore, a valid and reliable measurement of meaning-in-life among nursing home patients is highly warranted. Aims: This study intended to further investigate (a) the factor structure of the Purpose-in-Life test (PIL), (b) the reliability of PIL scores, and (c) the construct validity of the PIL test in a nursing home population. Methods: Participants were 202 cognitively intact nursing home patients representing 44 different Norwegian nursing homes. Concerning the dimensionality of the PIL, the following 3 measurement models were tested using confirmatory factor analysis; the original 1-factor, a 2-factor, and a 3-factor model. Results: With the exclusion of 10 items, a previously published and supported 2-factor construct for the PIL by Morgan and Farsides (2007) provided a good fit for older nursing home patients, demonstrating good measurement reliability and construct validity. Conclusion: The 2-factor model by Morgan and Farsides, comprising 10 items, is an improvement over the original 20-items PIL, based on these nursing home data. The measure yielded highly significantly factor loadings, good values for average variance extracted and composite reliability, as well as significant correlations in the expected direction for relevant selected measures; all supporting the construct validity.

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The Herth Hope Index—A Psychometric Study Among Cognitively Intact Nursing Home Patients

Journal of Nursing Measurement ◽

10.1891/1061-3749.21.3.378 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 378-400 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Gørill Haugan ◽

Britt Karin Støen Utvær ◽

Unni Karin Moksnes

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Nursing Home ◽

Home Care ◽

Well Being ◽

Nursing Home Care ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Home Setting ◽

Nursing Home Patients ◽

Herth Hope Index ◽

Cognitively Intact

Background and Purpose: Hope is seen as the act by which the temptation of despair is actively overcome and has thus been interpreted as an inner strength and an available resource for living in the present. An understanding of hope and its meaning in the lives of institutionalized older adults may aid in developing interventions to enhance hope and well-being in the nursing home setting. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the Herth Hope Index among cognitively intact nursing home patients. Methods: Cross-sectional data was obtained in 2008 and 2009 from 202 of 250 patients who met the inclusion criteria in 44 different nursing homes. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed 3 internal consistent dimensions of hope, explaining 51.2% of the variance. The 1-factor, 2-factor, and the originally 3-factor solutions of the Herth Hope Index were tested by means of confirmatory factor analysis. A 2-factor construct comprising 11 items came out with the best model fit. Conclusions: The Herth Hope Index was found to be a reliable and valid instrument for assessing hope in nursing home patients. The 2-factor structure was psychometrically superior the original 3-factor construct of hope in this particular sample. The Herth Hope Index might be used to assess hope and changes in the hope process during long-term nursing home care. An enhanced understanding of hope in this population might contribute to increased quality of nursing home care.

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Family, Peer, and Staff Social Support in Nursing Home Patients: Contributions to Psychological Well-Being

Journal of Applied Gerontology ◽

10.1177/073346480202100301 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 275-293 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Brian D. Carpenter

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Nursing Home ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Nursing Home Patients

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Hospital and nursing home patients’ experiences with delirium assessments: A qualitative content analysis

Nordic Journal of Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/2057158519882823 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 52-58

Author(s):

Helle Svenningsen ◽

Dorthe Sørensen

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Nursing Home ◽

Qualitative Method ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Well Being ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Delirium Assessment ◽

Face To Face ◽

Nursing Home Patients

To explore hospital and nursing home patients’ experiences with delirium assessments and better understand their attitudes, we used a qualitative method to summarise, in everyday terms, specific events observed by researchers and experienced by patients. We performed participant observations of delirium assessments of eight patients and conducted individual semi-structured face-to-face interviews with seven other patients. We carried out content analysis using an inductive approach. Our findings indicate that patients approached delirium assessment with initial scepticism due to a lack of knowledge. Their scepticism changed to complete acceptance after the assessment’s purpose was explained. However, some patients gave up on the assessment due to cognitive challenges, lack of energy, fatigue, or language barriers. Patients appreciated that professionals were interested in their mental and physical well-being. Despite initial scepticism, the patients found the delirium assessment valuable when they better understood its purpose. Thus, healthcare professionals should provide patients with relevant information about delirium assessments.

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