The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the experience of home care for older widows who live alone in their own homes. In contrast to research focused on predicting home care use or analyzing caregivers~ experiences, the project is exemplary of a new approach to the study of home care.
The specific aims are: (a) to delineate phenomena and component phenomena of the experience of home care for older widows who live at home alone: (b) to delineate the intentions that reflect each women~s unique experience of home care; ~ to identify changes in each participants~ experience over time and to consider possible explanations for these changes, including life transitions and factors such as self-rated health, location of residence, and ethnic/racial identity; and (d) to consider to the possible influence of location of residence upon the experience of home care by comparing the experiences of rural and urban participants. Over a three-year period, 7 taped-recorded interviews will be conducted in the home of each of 24 widows over the age of 80, who meet inclusion criteria for duration of widowhood, continuing residence in their own homes since the husband~s death, number of adult children, mental competence, and self-rated health. Interview and observational data will be obtained concerning participants~ perceptions and acts relative to other persons~ involvement in their efforts to continue living alone at home. A phenomenological method will be used to delineate a taxonomy of the phenomena that are the structures of the participant~s experiences. Older widows~ experience of home care will be described using the taxonomy and data examples. The study is designed to reveal not only the common structures of the experience but (also) the uniqueness of each women~s experience and the heterogeneity of the participants~ experiences. From the results, empirically grounded middle-range theories will be generated to undergird individualized interventions for older widows who live alone. In view of demographic trends, the proposed research is both timely and important.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Type
First Independent Research Support & Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29)
Project #
5R29NR004364-05
Application #
6343782
Study Section
Nursing Research Study Section (NURS)
Program Officer
Armstrong, Nell
Project Start
1997-01-01
Project End
2002-08-31
Budget Start
2001-01-01
Budget End
2002-08-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$94,846
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Missouri-Columbia
Department
Type
Schools of Nursing
DUNS #
153890272
City
Columbia
State
MO
Country
United States
Zip Code
65211
Porter, Eileen J; Oyesanya, Tolu O; Johnson, Kathy A (2013) ""Hoping to see the future I prefer"": an element of life-world for older women living alone. ANS Adv Nurs Sci 36:26-41
Porter, Eileen J; Benson, Jacquelyn J; Matsuda, Sandy (2011) Older homebound women: negotiating reliance on a cane or walker. Qual Health Res 21:534-48
Porter, Eileen J (2008) Home care as a complex experience: a chronological case study. Home Health Care Serv Q 27:167-86
Porter, Eileen J (2008) The personal impact of home-care nursing: an alternative perspective to home-care satisfaction. Res Gerontol Nurs 1:105-15
Porter, Eileen J; Lasiter, Sue (2007) Handling the ""people who are trying to get to you"": incidents with troublesome visitors reported by older women living alone. ANS Adv Nurs Sci 30:108-22
Porter, Eileen J (2007) Problems with preparing food reported by frail older women living alone at home. ANS Adv Nurs Sci 30:159-74
Porter, Eileen J (2007) Actions taken by frail older widows to allow home care providers access to their homes. Clin Nurs Res 16:44-57
Porter, Eileen J (2007) Scales and tales: older women's difficulty with daily tasks. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 62:S153-9
Porter, Eileen J (2005) Wearing and using personal emergency respone system buttons. J Gerontol Nurs 31:26-33
Porter, Eileen J; Ganong, Lawrence H (2005) Older widows' speculations and expectancies concerning professional home-care providers. Nurs Ethics 12:507-21

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