Aim: The study aimed to explore the experiences of care and recovery among older patients treated for physical trauma.

Design: A qualitative study with a constructivist grounded theory design.

Methods: Fifteen in-depth interviews with older adults recovering from physical trauma were conducted and analysed between 2019 and 2023, in accordance with grounded theory methodology.

Results: The findings show that for older patients who suffered physical trauma, the core category was the strive to recapture autonomy. This was achieved by means of Adaptation, Reflection and Interactions, which constitute the three main categories. Recovery involves facing and navigating various new life challenges, such as increased dependency on others, managing difficult symptoms and adapting in various ways to everyday life. The recovery process was influenced by fear, hope and the attitude towards new challenges.

Conclusion: Older adults being cared for after a traumatic event have a difficult path to recovery ahead of them. Dealing with increased unwanted dependency on others was a main concern for the participants. Undertreated symptoms can lead to undesired isolation, delayed recovery and further increase unwanted dependency. On the other hand, hope, which was defined as having a positive approach to life and longing for the future, was a strong accelerating factor in the recovery process.

Impact: As a result of this study, we have established that older patients experience the initial period after trauma as difficult and that support in the initial phase can be helpful when returning home. As healthcare services are under increasing pressure because of an ageing population, this study contributes by addressing an understudied population and clarifying their concerns.

Reporting Method: Reporting adheres to the COREQ (COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research) Checklist.

Patient Or Public Contribution: No patient or public involvement.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jan.16035DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

physical trauma
12
grounded theory
12
older patients
12
recovering physical
8
recapture autonomy
8
older adults
8
unwanted dependency
8
recovery
6
study
5
older
5

Similar Publications

Complex wound closure scenarios necessitate the development of advanced wound dressings that can effectively address the challenges of filling irregularly shaped wounds and managing fatigue failures encountered in daily patient activities. To tackle these issues, we develop a multifunctional hydrogel from natural polysaccharides and polypeptides with injectability and self-healing properties for promoting full-time and multipurpose wound healing. Synthesized through dynamic Schiff base linkages between oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHA), ε-polylysine (ε-PL), and quaternized chitosan (QCS), the OHA/ε-PL/QCS hydrogel can gel rapidly within 50 s.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Spinal pain affects up to 30% of school-age children and can interfere with various aspects of daily life, such as school attendance, physical function, and social life. Current assessment tools often rely on parental reporting which limits our understanding of how each child is affected by their pain. This study aimed to address this gap by developing MySpineData-Kids ("MiRD-Kids"), a tailored patient-reported questionnaire focusing on children with spinal pain in secondary care (Danish hospital setting).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Individual structural covariance connectome reveals aberrant brain developmental trajectories associated with childhood maltreatment.

J Psychiatr Res

December 2024

State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China. Electronic address:

Background: The long-term impact of childhood maltreatment (CM) on an individual's physical and mental health is suggested to be mediated by altered neurodevelopment. However, the exact neurobiological consequences of CM remain unclear.

Methods: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between CM and brain age based on structural magnetic resonance imaging data from a sample of 214 adults.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction And Importance: Calcific tendinitis occurring in the popliteal tendon is extremely rare and has rarely been reported in the past. This case describes a patient who underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove the calcification of the popliteal tendon and achieved satisfactory results after surgery, providing valuable evidence for the feasibility of arthroscopic treatment of calcific tendinitis of the popliteal tendon.

Case Presentation: The patient was a 55-year-old female who was admitted to the hospital due to right knee pain and limited mobility.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Traumatic injury poses significant physical and psychological challenges, often resulting in psychological distress, encompassing symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress. Despite the recognised need for psychological care in trauma rehabilitation, there is limited empirical evidence of effective interventions tailored specifically for individuals with traumatic injuries, leading to a practice-evidence gap.

Objectives: This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological and behavioural interventions for reducing psychological distress in adults following traumatic injury.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!