Lived experiences of residents in long-term care facilities: A qualitative interpretive study from China

This study aims to explore the real-life experiences and needs of older adults in long-term care facilities, with the goal of providing recommendations for improving the quality of care services in these settings.

In September to October 2024, 12 elderly residents from six LTC facilities in Nanchong City were selected for semi-structured interviews, and data were analyzed using phenomenological analysis.

Seven themes and fifteen sub-themes were extracted: Satisfaction(Daily life is guaranteed, Nursing assistants provide attentive care, Increased social interaction); Gratified(Self-worth is expressed, Access to intergenerational family support); Adaptation(Willing acceptance, Reluctant compromise), Conflict(Psychological opposition, Verbal aggression); Anxiety; Pessimism(Impaired health status, Poor interpersonal relationships); Expectation(Optimizing diet quality, Improved medical services, Increased spiritual care.) CONCLUSION: Daily care services in long-term care facilities generally receive satisfactory feedback, but there are significant deficiencies in health management, psychological care, and recreational activities, which need further improvement.