[Nursing research on the dynamics of hope in the elderly--a review]

The dynamics of hope--the dialectics between hope and hopelessness--is a central dimension in the essence of human being, in health and illness, as well as in nursing. In this paper nursing research on hope and hopelessness in elderly people is described. CINAHL- and MEDLINE EXPRESS-database were used as sources of research material. The purposes, the target populations, the methods of data collection and the central results from 10 research articles were analyzed using the method of content analysis. In addition qualitative content analysis was used to illustrate the dynamics of hope. The research on the dynamics of hope in nursing science has mostly focused on young adults, and less on elderly people. Most of the studies on hope and hopelessness in elderly people were descriptive, cross-sectional research based on quantitative assumptions. The dynamics of hope was described as the dynamics of life and death in which elderly people's significant relationships, feelings and the ability to act were central elements. Qualitative, longitudinal designs are needed in nursing science in order to capture the essence of the dynamics of hope in elderly human beings.