Abstract
ABSTRACT Aim: This study explored the Chinese older people's perceptions regarding family involvement and specific factors influencing family involvement in residential care homes. Background: Family involvement in residential care home is a multi-dimensional construct that connects the resident with their family, friends, neighbours and care professionals to facilitate their physical, psycho-emotional and social well-being. However, it remains unclear as to what Chinese residents perceive as the meaning of involving the family and components of it that are important to later live. Material and Methods: A descriptive qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted in two residential care homes in Macao. Ten Chinese residents were purposively sampled. The interview data were taped-recorded and transcribed. Fieldnotes and visitors' records were collected. The data were content-analyzed. Results: Chinese residents' perceptions of family involvement were captured by four themes: components of family involvement, factors influencing family involvement, impacts of family involvement on residents' lives, and promoting family involvement strategies. Conclusion: Findings provided insights for geriatric care providers to acknowledge the contributions that family members can make to be more involved in the residents' live, and to strengthen relationships. Family involvement can also help to facilitate sense of blessing and feelings of achievements for the residents.
Highlights
The involvement of family members in the lives of older people following entry into residential care homes has gained increasing attention over the decades. Bowers (1988) purported that family involvement of older residents should focus on maintaining family connectedness, promoting the older person’s recovery and participating in the care home environment
Social companionship was described as finding ways to stay socially in touch with family members, either chatting to them face-to face in the home or communicating on the phone if they were unable to visit
A great concern for the family was to continue the responsibility to oversee the residents’ health and well-being. This finding was similar to previous findings (Commonwealth of Australia, 2013; Tsai & Tsai, 2012), and there was a reliance on the younger family members to communicate with health care providers owing to their old age and lower educational level
Summary
The involvement of family members in the lives of older people following entry into residential care homes has gained increasing attention over the decades. Bowers (1988) purported that family involvement of older residents should focus on maintaining family connectedness, promoting the older person’s recovery and participating in the care home environment. Family involvement has impeccable importance in connecting the residents with their family members, friends, neighbours and healthcare professionals to promote their physical, psycho-emotional and social well-being (BernKlug & Forbes-Thompson, 2008; Buckley & McCarthy, 2009; Ryan & Scullion, 2000; Whitaker, 2009). It extends bonding with adult children to maintain parent–children relationship, perform filial piety and adopt positive attitudes to continue with caring responsibilities (Kellet, 2007; Mass et al, 2004). It appears that residents are likely to become disconnected with their social circles after they have been admitted into the homes (Teeri, Leino-Kilpi, & Välimäki, 2006)
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