Negative affect in the elderly population in aged care facilities: a qualitative study

Abstract

Objective To explore the experience of negative affect amongst the elderly living in aged care facilities. Methods A total of 38 participants from seven aged care facilities at various levels in a city of He'nan Province were interviewed in an unstructured manner based on the phenomenological research method. Data was analyzed by the Colaizzi method and NVivo11.0 software. Results In the elderly population from the aged care facilities, three categories of negative affect were identified: loneliness, chronic anxiety and emotional depression. Conclusions The negative affect of the elderly in aged care facilities is diverse and is closely related to several complex factors, such as lack of affection, disease and diminished self-care ability. The managers of aged care facilities should carry out individualized psychological intervention from the aspects of providing effective emotional support, improving the cognitive level of the elderly about chronic disease and death, and increasing social support to improve the life experience of the elderly in the aged care facilities, their physical and mental health and hence quality of life. Key words: Aged; Aged care facility; Negative affect; Qualitative study