Abstract:
Aim: This small scale study sought to examine how older people, living in Auckland New Zealand who did not have family living locally, experienced the move from living at home, through a hospital admission to living in residential care, and to identify what they thought of this process. Background: From the researcher’s own experience of provision of health care in Auckland New Zealand it was apparent that older people’s acute mental health needs and physical needs for personal and medical care continued to be met through the move to residential care by hospital services, and by medical care in residential settings. No publically funded services, community services or private services consistently attended to the social, emotional or rehabilitation needs of older people moving to residential care or in residential care. Method: Nine participants were interviewed. Of these, seven participants were interviewed twice, once in hospital prior to their move, and once a month later in their residential care facility. Two participants were interviewed only in the residential care facility, a month after their move. A qualitative semi structured interview was used to explore the participants’ experience of the transition. Results: Themes were grouped into distressing and supportive factors. Distressing factors were identified as reluctance, trauma, anxiety, grief, strangeness of the place, inflexible facility and abuse and neglect. Supportive factors were identified as “move made sense”, autonomy, personal strengths, family and friends, memory, belonging, feeling cared for, flexible facility and professional support in transition. The insidious effect of ageism on service provision in the health care sector was noted. Recommendations were brought forward as to best practice in working with older people and their families in hospital, and in residential care facilities.