Successful aging among the elderly with mild cognitive impairment facing the crisis of old age: a grounded theory study
- Author:
Haeyun SHIN
1
;
Suhye KWON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Research Paper
- From:Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2025;55(2):301-316
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Purpose:The purpose of this study was to understand experiences of successful aging experience in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Methods:The participants were 15 older adults with mild cognitive impairment who had experienced successful aging. Data were collected from January to October 2021 through individual deep, unstructured interviews. Data analysis was performed using Charmaz’s grounded theory method. In addition, the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist was used to ensure the quality of the study.
Results:The key category representing experiences of successful aging experience in older adults with mild cognitive impairment was “raising oneself up in the unsettling crisis of old age.” Four stages were derived: “feeling anguished due to the strange signals of memory,” “being shaken by fading memory,” “maintaining balance for a healthy old age,” and “recovering the composure of old age.”
Conclusion:Participants tried to successfully achieve aging while implementing their own plans and strategies in the midst of the challenges of old age, when the mind and body were unsettled by mild cognitive impairment. The results of this study provide a deep understanding of experiences of successful aging in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, potentially contributing to the development and implement of nursing intervention programs to promote the successful pursuit of aging in this population.
