Japanese older adults' perspectives on resuming daily life during hospitalization and after returning home.

Throughout Japan, occupational therapy for older adults is available in an increasing array of institutional and community settings. However, there is a need for more knowledge of "how" older adults resume their daily lives particularly in the community. The aim of this qualitative research was to identify and describe how some older adults in Japan describe their experiences of resuming daily life during hospitalization and after returning home. Nine older adults with various physical impairments were interviewed. The open interviews were conducted 10 months to 5 years from the onset of their physical impairment. Data analysis on the basis of a constant comparative methodology resulted in three themes that characterize their experiences of resuming daily life: "doing the right thing", "reconciling to dependence" and "becoming invigorated". These themes may inform occupational therapists to take into consideration older clients' perspectives when assisting them to recapture the quality of their daily life according to their preferences. Adaptive change is promoted by assisting older clients to generate the energy they need by judiciously varying approaches appropriate to their goals and by helping older clients to make decisions that are "right" for them, which may fluctuate during processes of resuming daily life. Limitations of this study are found in the small sample size, and additional research may help to clarify how moral aspects, vigour (physical and mental energy/force) and other dimensions shape processes of resuming daily life as well as the influences of time.