Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

SAGETRACK

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Journal of Applied Gerontology
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Forbes-Thompson, S.
Right arrow Articles by Gessert, C. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?

Nursing Homes and Suffering: Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?

Sarah Forbes-Thompson

University of Kansas School of Nursing, Kansas City

Charles E. Gessert

SMDC Health System

The quality of residents’ life is now widely recognized as a principle measure of the quality of care provided by nursing homes. This article is focused on the profound psychosocial and existential suffering that was experienced by many of the nursing home residents who were part of a larger study that examined end-of-life experiences in nursing homes. Data were collected using a case study approach, incorporating observations, interviews, and document review. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze data. The narratives of two residents are used as exemplars. Through these narratives, specific examples of physical, psychosocial, and existential suffering are revealed. Suffering as an essential aspect of the human condition is explored within the context of nursing homes as systems of care for older adults. Attention to suffering is integral to quality of life, yet few nursing homes have integrated the diagnosis and relief of suffering into their routine work.

Key Words: nursing homes • suffering • resident quality of life

Journal of Applied Gerontology, Vol. 25, No. 3, 234-251 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0733464806288561
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Journal of Applied GerontologyHome page
B. Jenull and E. Brunner
Death and Dying in Nursing Homes: A Burden for the Staff?
Journal of Applied Gerontology, April 1, 2008; 27(2): 166 - 180.
[Abstract] [PDF]