Being an institutionalized elderly person: meaning of experiences based on Heidegger's phenomenology.

Objective: Analyze the meaning of being an elderly person living in a long-term institution.

Method: Qualitative study based on Martin Heidegger's thought. Twelve phenomenological interviews were conducted with people aged over 60 years living in a long-term institution for the elderly in the city of Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil.

Results: The units of meaning identified were: experience of progressive loss of autonomy and independence, perception of living in an institution as an inevitable circumstance; and being-with becoming being-alone/being-lonely. After the identification of ontic aspects and hermeneutical understanding, the unit of meaning was constructed: meaning of being an elderly person living in a long-term institution.

Final Considerations: The ontological needs referring to being an elderly person remain forgotten. As we are ontic and ontological, limited care to the ontic instance indicates deficiencies in institutionalization. Improvements are required to ensure the right to age with quality of life to this population.