Balance in life as a prerequisite for community-dwelling older adults' sense of health and well-being after retirement : an interview-based study

• PURPOSE This study aimed to describe community-dwelling older adults’ perceptions of health and well-being in life after retirement.METHODS This study is part of a larger project using a mixed-methods design to address lifestyles’ influence on community-dwelling older adults’ health. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 older adults in age 70 to 95 years. Data were analysed according to a phenomenographic approach.RESULTS The results encompass four categories describing variations in community-dwelling older adults’ perceptions of health and well-being after retirement: feeling well despite illness and disease, interacting with and being useful for oneself and others, independently embracing opportunities and engaging in life, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.CONCLUSIONS The absence of illness and disease is not a clear prerequisite for a sense of health and well-being. To promote and preserve health and well-being after retirement, older adults strived for—and coached themselves to uphold—a balance in life, focusing on not burdening others. This life orientation after retirement must be acknowledged by society at large, especially from an ageist perspective, and in health and social care to preserve and promote health and well-being.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Geriatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Geriatrics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Health

lifestyle

older adults

community

life balance

retirement

well-being

qualitative

phenomenography

QUALITY-OF-LIFE

AGED 85 YEARS

PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY

SOCIAL-ISOLATION

LONELINESS

PREDICTOR

CONCEPTIONS

COHERENCE

MORTALITY

Människan i vården

The Human Perspective in Care

Wellbeing in long-term health problems (WeLHP)

Familjecentrerad hälsa (FamCeH)

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)