Staff Utilization of Explicit Hope Facilitation Strategies in Long Term Care

Abstract

Research offers compelling evidence of the pivotal role that hope plays in health and personal well-being outcomes for individuals who are acutely, chronically or terminally ill. Many individuals who are living in long term care, experience chronic physical and mental health challenges that affect the quality of their lives. For many of these individuals, these health issues challenge their hope in the face of uncertain futures.There is evidence to show it is possible to foster hope in individuals who feel hopeless or whose hope has been challenged, and that having a sense of hope greatly increases their sense of meaning and purpose in life. The purpose of this study is to intentionalize health care staffs’ use of explicit hope facilitating strategies with residents who are living in long term care facilities. Aims: • develop heightened awareness of health care staffs’ use of purposive hope facilitation strategies in long term care • strengthen staff resolve to purposively engage in hope promotion strategies with their residents • normalize explicit hope facilitation as a vital component of care Method: An educational workshop was used to teach staff specific hope-focused strategies for working with residents in long term care. Participating staff were interviewed prior to the workshop to ascertain their knowledge and understanding about hope. Following the workshop, the researcher spent some time in the clinical area to observe the health care staff practice and identify through observation and conversation with each staff member, specific incidents of intentional use of hope strategies in their practice. Selected residents were also interviewed regarding their feelings/experiences related to use of hope. Results: Researcher is finishing data collection phase and will report the results at the conference.