Files and links (1)
Published VersionCC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Experience of Persons Living in Long-Term Care: A Patient-Oriented Analysis of “Notes in The Margins” Data
Journal of Long-Term Care, p.2026
2026
Abstract
Context: Individual and system factors can affect quality of life in long-term care (LTC).
Objective: To understand how residents and their families experience quality of life to recommend changes to improve their experience.
Methods: This study is a patient-oriented analysis of the qualitative field notes captured in the margins of a questionnaire by family partner researchers, between July 2019 and February 2020. Field notes were captured from residents (n = 141) and family members (n = 67), at six homes (three rural and three urban). Prospective participants were informed about the project by a member of the home. Those who expressed interest were approached by the research team, who obtained informed consent. We conducted an inductive thematic analysis of the data.
Findings: Our analysis revealed six themes: Continuing the Journey, situating LTC homes as a transitional space in the larger experience of growing older; This is my New Reality, the observable parts of the LTC home experience; I Feel, the emotional implications of the experience of the LTC home; Being in Control (Or Not), the sense of choice or agency; What Matters, the things participants highlighted as most important; and We are Humans: Residents as Individuals, the unique situations and experiences of participants. These themes highlighted key elements related to quality of life, as observed by the researchers.
Limitations: The organic nature of the project limited the standardization of data.
Implications: A greater understanding of relationship-centred care, as well as providing choices when possible, could improve the quality of life for residents in LTC.
Details
- Title
- Experience of Persons Living in Long-Term Care: A Patient-Oriented Analysis of “Notes in The Margins” Data
- Authors
- Katherine M. Ottley - University of SaskatchewanMariana D. S. Ribeiro - University of SaskatchewanJane McPhee - Saskatoon Council on Aging (Canada)Marilyn BarlowMarlene MoormanSandi WhitfordAllison L. Cammer - University of SaskatchewanAlison Craswell - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - NursingRoslyn M. Compton (Corresponding Author) - University of Saskatchewan
- Publication details
- Journal of Long-Term Care, p.2026; 47
- Publisher
- International Long-Term Care Policy Network
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.31389/jltc.326
- ISSN
- 2516-9122
- Copyright note
- © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercialNoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.
- Data Availability
- The data on which this manuscript is based can be accessed by contacting the corresponding author.
- Grant note
- This project was funded jointly by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF 421339) and the Saskatchewan Centre for Patient-Oriented Research (SCPOR 421891), via a SPROUT grant.
- Organisation Unit
- Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; School of Health; School of Health - Nursing
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991212681102621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
2 Record Views