Trial Lecture - time and place
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Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Helle Wijk, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Gothenburg University, Sweden
- Second opponent: Professor Emeritus Kennet Asplund, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Sweden
- Third member and chair of the adjudication committee: Professor Emeritus Per Nortvedt, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor Emeritus Knut Engedal, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Professor Kari Kvigne, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
Summary
Research has shown that older people would benefit from more participation of relatives in decision-making processes during their hospital stay. There are still few reports on experiences of user participation among older hospitalized people and their relatives.
The aims of the thesis were
- to describe the difficulties experienced by older patients when involving themselves with their own treatment and care
- to compare and contrast older people’s and their relatives’ experiences of user participation regarding the planning of everyday life after discharge from hospital, and
- to explore relatives’ experiences of opportunities to participate in decisions regarding older family members, and analyse whether there are different experiences of influence related to the relatives’ age.
One of the most important resources at older patients' disposal in user participation was their relatives.
When comparing and contrasting the patients’ and their relatives’ experiences of participation, three patterns were identified: contradicting perceptions, the patients experienced user participation, but the relatives did not; consistent perceptions, neither patients nor relatives achieved participation according to their preferences; and similar perceptions, patient and relatives both participated in making decisions, but on different terms.
The vulnerability created by not experiencing opportunities to influence decisions increased with age. Decisions seemed to be based on the assumption that relatives possessed the resources necessary regarding homecare. The older relatives reported having reached their limit regarding care work.
Overall, user participation among older hospitalized older people would benefit from health professionals who proactively involve relatives in decisions affecting both the patients and the relatives' life situation.
Additional information
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