Older adults' lived experiences of physical rehabilitation for acquired brain injury and their perceptions of well-being: A qualitative phenomenological study.

Abstract

To explore the experiences of older adults (65+) living with acquired brain injury regarding their sense of well-being during physical rehabilitation within the Greek Healthcare System. With the increasing ageing population and the life-changing effects of acquired brain injury, there is a need to focus on care for older people and their potential to live well. Rehabilitation systems deserve greater attention, especially in improving the well-being of those who are using them. A qualitative study design with a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used. Fourteen older adults living with acquired brain injury and undergoing physical rehabilitation in Greece were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data and were thematically analysed using van Manen's and Clarke and Braun's methods. The COREQ checklist was followed. Four themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Challenges of new life situation, (2) Seeking emotional and practical support through social interaction, (3) Identifying contextual processes of rehabilitation, (4) Realising the new self. The subjective experiences, intersubjective relations and contextual conditions influence the sense of well-being among older adults living with acquired brain injury, thus impacting the realisation of their new self. The study makes the notion of well-being a more tangible concept by relating it to the degree of adaptation to the new situation and the potential for older adults to create a future whilst living with acquired brain injury. Identifying the factors that impact older adults' sense of well-being during rehabilitation can guide healthcare professionals in enhancing the quality of care offered and providing more dignified and humanising care. Older adults living with acquired brain injury were involved in the study as participants providing the research data.