Power in Iranian Elders: Barriers and Facilitators



Ravanipour M¹ ; Salehi S¹ ; Taleghani F¹ ; Abedi HA¹ ; Schuurmans MJ² Show Affiliations
Source: Psychogeriatria Polska Published:2008

Abstract

Introduction. Power and empowerment are well-researched concepts especially among people with chronic illness or older people. However, few researches focused on the barriers to and facilitators of empowerment in elderly people. Whilst powerlessness can have many adverse consequences for the elderly like lower levels of preventive health behaviors; empowerment of elders can increase quality of life and feelings of well-being. An adequate diagnosis of these, need an in-dept understanding of the meaning of power barriers and facilitators. Method. In this descriptive qualitative study, 26 participants were interviewed from a purposive sampling; the interviews were analyzed using a content analysis method. Results. Participants indicated emotional sensitivity, widowhood, retirement, worrying, losing physical ability, needs, and insufficient social support systems as barriers to sense of power and increased spiritual capacity, increased experiences, having control over resources, self-efficacy, having referring role, independence, coping with changes, satisfaction with past life and updated knowledge as facilitators in sense of power according to Iranian elderly. Discussion. It seems that the sense of power was affected by many items which mainly rooted in cultural and personal beliefs. Spirituality and religious faith played a major role in powerfulness in the elders and worrying about unmarried children and also their disability had a powerlessness effect on them. Moreover, it appears that informants noticed not only the external systems and resources' effects on the sense of power; but also considered their role as an important agent in this regard. Copyright © 2008 Fundacja Ochrony Zdrowia Psychicznego.