Setting | Author, year, country | Aim | Methodology* | Study results |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nursing homes | Chuang et al. 2015 [45], Taiwan | To explore the nursing home residents’ care needs | 18 seniors, qualitative research, in-depth interviews, thematic analysis | Themes included Body, Economics, Environment, Mind, Preparation for death, and Social support (BEEMPS) |
Ghani et al. 2016 [49], Malaysia | To investigate social support, the forms, and the effects of social support given to seniors at the Darul Hanan Nursing Home | 30 seniors, case study, in-depth interviews, thematic analysis | Themes around choosing Darul Hanan included the elderly who have no heir, elders or heirs who are living difficult lives, guaranteed security, no place to stay, easier to perform religious obligations, and neglected by family members. The forms of social support were emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual support. The effects of social support included emotional and physical effects | |
Shelter homes | Cassum et al. 2020 [43], Pakistan | To explore the experiences and reasons of seniors who live in shelter homes | 14 seniors, descriptive exploratory design, in-depth interviews, content analysis | Themes included the circumstances of leaving home, life experiences before relocating to a shelter home, challenges to well-being before entering the care facility, coping with challenges, and the decision to live in a shelter home |
Residential care homes | Lao et al., 2019 [30], China | To explore the seniors’ perceptions of family involvement in residential care homes | 10 seniors, descriptive, in-depth interviews, content analysis | Themes included components of family involvement, factors influencing family involvement, impacts of family involvement on residents' lives, and promoting family involvement strategies |
Seah et al. 2020 [36], Singapore | To explore how health resources are used among seniors who are residing in senior-only households | 102 seniors, descriptive, focus group discussions, thematic analysis | Themes included tapping on the internal self-care repository, maintaining and preserving informal social support, and enabling self-using environmental aids. An eco-map of aging assets was used to capture an overview of internal and external resources | |
Community | Almazan et al. 2019 [27], Philippines | To explore the disaster resiliency among seniors after a traumatic experience | 26 seniors living alone or with family, qualitative study, focus group discussions, cross-case analysis | Themes included understanding one’s culture generates resilience that can have a huge impact in coping with disaster, holding on to their faith by praying or acting practically during adversities still promotes adaptation, gaining previous experiences is crucial to the positive outcome, and getting social support or not promotes adaptation |
Amin 2017 [28], Bangladesh | To analyze seniors’ definitions of successful aging | 12 seniors living with family, grounded theory, in-depth interviews, thematic analysis | Themes included adaptation to an aging body, financial security, family and intergenerational care, and social participation | |
Badriah & Sahar 2018 [39], Indonesia | To understand the experience of seniors with diabetes mellitus (DM) about their family support | 8 seniors living with family, phenomenology, in-depth interviews, Colaizzi method analysis | Themes included the changes in seniors with DM, optimum family support, and suboptimal family support | |
Carandang et al. 2019 [42], Philippines | To examine the perceptions of unmet needs and coping mechanisms of seniors | 37 seniors, qualitative study, focus group discussions, thematic analysis | Themes included financial security, healthcare services, age-friendly environment, and family support | |
Cheng et al. 2018 [44], China | To understand the intergenerational differences of social support for the seniors | 30 seniors living alone or with family, qualitative research, in-depth interviews, constant comparative analysis | The young old received more formal social support and less informal social support than the older-old. The young old expected to receive more formal social support when they become the older‐old, as support from their children would be reduced due to the one‐child policy and sociocultural changes | |
Han et al. 2019 [46], Singapore | To explore the impact of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and dialysis and the coping strategies utilized by participants | 16 ESRD seniors with family caregiver, qualitative research, in-depth interviews, framework analysis | ESRD and dialysis impacted biological/physical, psychological, and social. The strategies that participants used to cope with these biopsychosocial challenges were family support, religious/spiritual support, avoidance, and acceptance | |
Harnirattisai & Vuthiarpa, 2020 [47], Thailand | To explore the perception of independent living, including the meaning, characteristics, and contributing factors of independent living | 11 seniors living with family, descriptive, in-depth interviews, content analysis | Living independently meant being employed, having sufficient money for personal expenses, being capable of participating in religious activities, and having time for relaxation. The factors that contribute to independent living were personal, environment, and social support | |
Kristianingrum et al. 2018 [48], Indonesia | To explore perceived family support by seniors in diabetes mellitus self-management | 9 diabetic seniors living alone or with family, phenomenology, in-depth interviews, Colaizzi method analysis | The severity of family support included daily activity assistance, assistance with obtaining health services, food preparation, financial support, attention, guidance, and problem-solving. The response to family support was pleasure | |
Kwan & Tam 2021 [29], Hong Kong | To examine the aging in place (AIP) experiences of seniors living in a disaster-prone rural coastal community | 12 seniors living with family, case study, in-depth interviews, thematic analysis | Themes included the ability to sustain and continue seniors’ work, local community-based organizations play an instrumental role in providing social support in a disaster context, more support and resources for mitigation activities are needed, and while support exists for AIP and in a disaster situation, the seniors may not utilize such support | |
Liu et al. 2015 [31], China | To explore care needs of Chinese empty-nest seniors | 25 seniors living alone or with spouses, descriptive, in-depth interviews, content analysis | The care needed was home-based care. Seniors would like to have aging-in-place, home-based care by housemaid employment, or institutionalized care. However, they had some concerns about institutionalized care | |
Nazari et al. 2016 [33], Iran | To investigate the meaning of perceived social support and experiences of Iranian seniors | 18 seniors living alone or with family, qualitative research, in-depth interviews, content analysis | Themes included emotional, practical, informational, social companionship, providing, spiritual support, conflicts, and satisfaction with support | |
Pathike et al. 2017 [34], Thailand | To explore the concept of resilience in rural Thai seniors | 35 seniors living alone or with family, ethnography, semi-structured interviews and observation, thematic analysis | The main theme was moving on. The sub-themes included keeping a job and earning a living, having Jai-Yai to fight for life, accepting a situation (Plong and Taam-Jai), expressing difficulty, and connecting with people, beliefs, and customs | |
Rittirong et al. 2014 [35], Thailand | To explore rural seniors’ preferences for support | 102 seniors, qualitative study, focus group discussions, thematic analysis | The types of support were meal preparation, personal care, transportation, and financial and emotional support. Male and female seniors’ preferences were slightly different for genderized tasks. Social closeness and geographical proximity mattered | |
Shiraz et al. 2020 [37], Singapore | To examine seniors’ perceptions of physical, psychological, and social health and the processes of adaptation and self-management | 40 seniors, exploratory, in-depth interviews, thematic analysis | Themes around physical, psychological, and social health perceptions included slowing down, relationship harmony, financial harmony, social connectedness, and eating together. Themes around adaptation and self-management included keep moving, keep learning, adopting avoidant coping behaviors, “It feels good to do good,” “Power of Prayer,” and social participation | |
Sta Maria et al. 2018 [32], Philippines | To explore the quality of social relationships of senior Filipino church members | 6 seniors living with family, qualitative research, in-depth interviews, thematic analysis | Themes included forms of support and nonsupport | |
Tabari et al. 2017 [38], Iran | To identify factors that affect the mental health of seniors | 15 seniors living alone or with family, qualitative research, in-depth interviews, content analysis | Themes included interaction and worthiness. Main categories included communication/relationship, empathy/compassion, entertainment/amusement, support, and respect | |
Tsuji & Khan 2016 [40], Japan | To investigate the relationship between social support and the life satisfaction of seniors in Japan | 5 seniors living alone or with family, qualitative research, in-depth interviews, interpretative phenomenological analysis | Themes included gender difference, transition of role from carer to being cared for, and reciprocity | |
Yoo 2013 [41], Korea | To explore how seniors perceive and desire social support in an aging society | 21 seniors living alone or with family, qualitative research, in-depth interviews, thematic analysis | Themes included no or denied support, not being greedy and shameless, and justification and hopelessness |