L’expérience de vieillir au quotidien de femmes âgées montréalaises vivant seules à domicile dans un contexte de précarité économique
Little attention has been given to the investigation of experiences and specific realities of the sub-group and sub-culture of aging women living in poverty. In this context, the objective of this research was to explore and analyze the daily experiences of women growing old and living alone at home in poverty. To reach this objective, the theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality of Madeleine Leininger was used as the theoretical foundation while a qualitative approach and an ethnonursing method were retained. The sample was collected by a “snowball” strategy in two community groups located on the Montreal territory.  A total of seven women aged 65 years and over, living alone at home in poverty were recruited.  Individual semi-directed interviews were conducted with each woman completed by a short socio-demographic questionnaire and field notes. The qualitative content analysis was structured according to the four steps of the data analysis guide proposed by Leininger. These steps are: (1) the raw data analysis, (2) the grouping of these in re-occurring patterns, (3) the emergence of subthemes and themes and (4) the formulation of the study results in the form of theoretical expressions or recommendations. Results from this research explains the daily aging experience of women according to six cultural factors of their social structure, namely: (1) environment, (2) cultural values, (3) lifestyle, (4) human relations, (5) economic factor and (6) ethnohistory; as well as in relation to their health/illness and aging experience, and their relation with the healthcare system. Results related to the cultural factors underline that the aging experience: (1) is settled mainly in the intimate home environment of these women, (2) provides a sense of liberty, control and independence, (3) is enriched by giving to others, (4) is bounded inside a small and weak social network and (5) blossomed through a positive vision of life and the refusal to be considered as poor and dependent. Results related to the human experience and healthcare system dimensions, reveal that the aging experience is embedded in a desire to maintain the body functionalities, to stay independent and to act as experts of its own health in relation with professional care received. The daily experience of growing old for these women relies on their autodetermination, their resilience and on the meaning they give to life. These results support clinical recommendations promoting nursing care that is based on an empowerment approach which is culturally coherent with the culture of these women.
Older women Ethnonursing method Aging experience Cultural factors