The experience of applying a narrative research approach with older people

Evidence suggests that older people hold lower expectations of healthcare, which restricts their involvement. Narrative research provides an option to explore personal experiences beyond the boundaries of a questionnaire, providing insights into decisions involving treatment, screening, and various health practices that can help guide the development and provision of effective healthcare services.

The purposes of this article were to develop and to implement a narrative research approach in a rehabilitation unit for older people to inform service development.

This study applied a narrative research approach. Participants in this study were at least 65 years of age and were patients in the target rehabilitation center. They were cognitively and physically able to communicate and give informed consent to participate. Patients were interviewed toward the end of their stay at the rehabilitation center. A total of 28 patients were invited for the interview. Narrative interviewing skills were developed and used in data collection. Literature review and comparative method were used to analyze data.

Findings revealed researcher characteristics, including respect, understanding, and acceptance, as key attributes of success in conducting narrative work with the older people. Narrative interview skills were essential to sustain such characteristics when collecting participant stories. It was found that participants who had been already assigned a discharge date were more likely to participate in the narrative interview.

Narrative approaches aim to provide an environment in which service users can experience the development of services through their service utilization experience. The narrative research approach and the narrative interview skills may help practitioners facilitate and cultivate person-centered nursing practice.