Elderly and Care Givers’ Experiences of Transfer to Nursing Homes in Bam City: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: The elderly population has increased rapidly in recent decades, and consequently, admission to nursing homes is growing, but their experiences of this transfer have not been paid adequate attention. The aim of this study is to explain the elderly and care givers’ experiences of transfer to nursing homes in Bam city, Kerman Province, Iran. Methods: This study was conducted using a phenomenological approach in 2017. Participants were the elderly residents in the nursing homes in Bam city and their care givers. Sampling was done till data saturation. Sixteen elderly people and 6 their care givers were participated in the study by purposeful sampling. Data collection methods were unstructured in-depth interview and field-notes. Data were analyzed by seven-stage Colaizzi's method. Results: The data analysis identified 47 initial and conceptual codes that categorized the causes of transfer in 2 categories from the viewpoint of the care givers and of the elders and 4 sub-categories (the elders' problems, the family problems, compulsory transfer and voluntary transfer). Conclusion: Participants' statements indicated that most elderly people were not happy with their transfer to nursing homes, although some are satisfy with their transfer. Therefore, formal and non-formal education should be offered regarding respect for the elderly, the use of their experiences, getting their satisfaction before transferring to the nursing homes, and regulating, meetings program with them by their family, friends, and even all sections of society as much as possible.