Perceptions of aging and falling ill: a study with elderly persons in palliative care

Abstract Objective: to learn the perceptions of elderly persons in palliative care regarding coping with aging and illness. Method: an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study was carried out. The study included 11 elderly persons in palliative care because of oncologic disease. Semi-structured...

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Main Authors: Mariana dos Santos Ribeiro, Moema da Silva Borges
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) , Universidade Aberta a Terceira Idade (UnAti) 2018-12-01
Series:Revista Brasileira de Geriatria e Gerontologia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1809-98232018000600701&tlng=pt
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author Mariana dos Santos Ribeiro
Moema da Silva Borges
author_facet Mariana dos Santos Ribeiro
Moema da Silva Borges
author_sort Mariana dos Santos Ribeiro
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective: to learn the perceptions of elderly persons in palliative care regarding coping with aging and illness. Method: an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study was carried out. The study included 11 elderly persons in palliative care because of oncologic disease. Semi-structured interviews were carried out which were analyzed with the aid of the ALCESTE software. Results: two axes were identified from the content analysis. The first, Resist to Survive and Live, has two categories: the first, aging with integrity, portrays the positive perception of the participants regarding the aging process, and coping strategies used to deal with aging and with illness; the other category, resilient development, refers to the life trajectories of the participants and the adversities of the process of development and aging. The second axis, Resist to Die Well, has only one category and refers to the perceptions of the elderly about the stress related to illness. Conclusion: the results show that the perceptions of aging and falling ill involved resilience, as the participants focused on what they had gained rather than their losses. In this context, they used resilient coping strategies: spiritual support, cognitive restructuring, and acceptance.
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spelling doaj.art-74cbd9cd15e0480babb67bd7b9495cdc2022-12-21T19:21:58ZengUniversidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) , Universidade Aberta a Terceira Idade (UnAti)Revista Brasileira de Geriatria e Gerontologia1981-22562018-12-0121670171010.1590/1981-22562018021.180139Perceptions of aging and falling ill: a study with elderly persons in palliative careMariana dos Santos RibeiroMoema da Silva BorgesAbstract Objective: to learn the perceptions of elderly persons in palliative care regarding coping with aging and illness. Method: an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study was carried out. The study included 11 elderly persons in palliative care because of oncologic disease. Semi-structured interviews were carried out which were analyzed with the aid of the ALCESTE software. Results: two axes were identified from the content analysis. The first, Resist to Survive and Live, has two categories: the first, aging with integrity, portrays the positive perception of the participants regarding the aging process, and coping strategies used to deal with aging and with illness; the other category, resilient development, refers to the life trajectories of the participants and the adversities of the process of development and aging. The second axis, Resist to Die Well, has only one category and refers to the perceptions of the elderly about the stress related to illness. Conclusion: the results show that the perceptions of aging and falling ill involved resilience, as the participants focused on what they had gained rather than their losses. In this context, they used resilient coping strategies: spiritual support, cognitive restructuring, and acceptance.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1809-98232018000600701&tlng=ptAgingMedical OncologyPalliative CareAdaptation, PsychologicalResilience, Psychological
spellingShingle Mariana dos Santos Ribeiro
Moema da Silva Borges
Perceptions of aging and falling ill: a study with elderly persons in palliative care
Revista Brasileira de Geriatria e Gerontologia
Aging
Medical Oncology
Palliative Care
Adaptation, Psychological
Resilience, Psychological
title Perceptions of aging and falling ill: a study with elderly persons in palliative care
title_full Perceptions of aging and falling ill: a study with elderly persons in palliative care
title_fullStr Perceptions of aging and falling ill: a study with elderly persons in palliative care
title_full_unstemmed Perceptions of aging and falling ill: a study with elderly persons in palliative care
title_short Perceptions of aging and falling ill: a study with elderly persons in palliative care
title_sort perceptions of aging and falling ill a study with elderly persons in palliative care
topic Aging
Medical Oncology
Palliative Care
Adaptation, Psychological
Resilience, Psychological
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1809-98232018000600701&tlng=pt
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