Nursing Home Residents' Perceptions on Ego-Integrity Achievement in Nursing Home

Abstract

This study was to uncover the nature of in-depth and specific experiences by identifying the awareness of the achievement of ego-integrity among senior citizens living in nursing homes. The purpose of this is to provide basic information on the achievement of ego-integrity of the elderly living in nursing homes. The subjects were 7 elderly people living in two elderly care facilities in Gyeonggi and Incheon, Korea, with whom one-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted. The data were collected from December 2019 to January 2020 and analyzed using traditional content analysis. Content analysis is a systematic and objective method that analyzes explicit or potential content by classifying and evaluating it to confirm the meaning and effect of major data symbols or subjects. Upon the analysis, the nursing home residents’ perceptions revealed five categories of means to achieve ego integrity: maintaining harmonious relationships, a companion to talk with service, maintaining autonomous functions, maintaining passive and active activities, and spiritual stability from participating in religious activities. The results of this study are meaningful in that they presented the necessary documents and supporting data to prepare a management plan for the nursing practitioners for the achievement of ego-integrity of the elderly living in nursing homes. Based on this study’s results, follow-up research is necessary to verify the effectiveness and development of nursing practitioner education and intervention programs to help nursing home residents achieve ego integrity.