Perceptions of Hong Kong Chinese elders on adjustment to residential care

Abstract

While there is an increasing number of elders moving into residential care homes in Hong Kong, very little is known about how they adjust to the changes associated with living in such homes. A grounded theory study was therefore conducted to explore the processes through which Chinese elders adjust following a move to residential care. Audiotaped in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 elders one week after residential home admission and then every month until no new information about their adjustment experiences could be discovered. Constant comparative analysis of data revealed that newly admitted elders adjust through the four stages of orienting, normalizing, rationalizing and stabilizing as they struggle to regain normality in a life that is as close to that lived before admission as possible. The purpose of this paper is to report on Chinese elders' normalizing experiences in the second stage of adjustment. It found that a number of experiences suggested in the literature, as barriers to residential living, such as living with rules and regulations, lack of privacy and autonomy, are not regarded as important by Chinese elders. However, establishing relations with other residents and staff appears to be a particular challenge. It concludes that the life experience and socio-cultural values of Chinese elders have to be addressed when trying to effectively help Chinese elders adjust to life in residential care. The findings also highlight the need for better collaboration between nursing and social work staff in their efforts to promote elders' adjustment.