An exploratory study of Chinese older people's perceptions of privacy in residential care homes

This paper reports a study to examine Chinese older people's perceptions of privacy in residential care homes.

With increasing numbers of older people moving into residential care homes in Hong Kong, the emphasis on providing high quality of care is paramount. Yet, studies have identified the poor quality of psychosocial care provided in these homes, particularly the lack of attention given to promoting a sense of privacy. While privacy is a fundamental principle of gerontological care, little is known older people's perceptions of privacy in residential care practices. This lack of understanding makes it difficult to know how to provide appropriate care to this population.

A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 2005 with a purposive sample of 20 informants from four residential care homes in Hong Kong. In-depth interviews were used to collect the data, which were analysed using content analysis.

Most informants perceived that privacy was unnecessary and not a pre-requisite in residential living. They had seemingly accepted the expectations of home life, with its emphasis on unity, harmony and meeting the collective needs of the majority rather than focusing on their individual needs. Informants also described the enjoyment of communal living and 'living together'. While at first privacy was perceived as not necessary, further prompting identified that informants used own efforts to support their privacy. There were also day-to-day circumstances/activities in homes where privacy was violated.

The emphasis in Chinese culture on the importance of maintaining balance and harmony inevitably shaped participants' perceptions of what privacy meant to them. The findings will inform the development of culturally-sensitive care practices to support Chinese older people's privacy in residential care settings.