Mental health as a prerequisite for functioning as optimally as possible in old age: A phenomenological approach.
Samal Al Gilani, Lina Tingö, Annica Kihlgren and 1 others
PMID 33423387WHAT IT FOUND
Mental health issues were described as shaping everyday function through life situations, consequences and strategies.
Six older women linked physical changes, family worries, finances, sleep and activity to how well they felt able to function.
Key findings
01The older adults linked mental health to functioning through life situations, consequences and strategies.
02Physical ageing and bodily symptoms were described as harming mental health and optimal function.
03Pets and physical activity were described as strategies for improving mental health.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only six older women were interviewed, all aged 69 to 73, so the findings cannot represent older men or adults outside this narrow age range. The one male who was contacted and initially planned to participate withdrew, so men's experiences are missing. Participants were selected because they had elevated distress scores on a questionnaire, which may limit transferability. The study used interviews and thematic analysis, so it cannot show that any strategy caused improved mental health. The first author was a psychiatric nurse, and the authors note that pre-understanding may affect analysis.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that any strategy improves mental health. The study did not test interventions and included only six women aged 69 to 73.