The purpose of this study was to assess The HEARTS of older persons in the Philippines. An acronym for H-Health, EA-Experience of Abuse, R-Resilience, T-Treatment, and S-Safety. The study also aimed to identify interventions that will enhance safety and resilience among older persons experiencing depression, anger, anxiety, and elder abuse. This will benefit older persons towards a more comprehensive, person-centered, efficient, and effective delivery of nursing care.
Methods:
The study used a mixed methods approach in the Sequential Transformative design, wherein the participants were allowed to respond to objective standardized questionnaires with self-report answers and to respond to subjective open-ended questions.
The total number of older person participants (N=80) is further divided into two groups: 40 active older persons and 40 frail older persons who were all free from co-morbid conditions that may result to memory loss or cognitive impairment.
The interview schedule was translated in Filipino with open-ended questions that determined treatment and safety of older persons. A registered psychologist was on standby during the interview for any concerns with the mental being of the respondents. A tape recorder was used for the interviews and transcribed in verbatim.
Results:
Unfair treatment from social networks. Oppressed: “When we were living in our province, they were forcefully taking our home and land from us“. Maltreated: “My neighbors here, my enemy. They maltreat us and belittle us. They put their garbage in front of our house”. Deceived: “They tell me they will bring the payment later but then they will not pay us and just ignore me”, spreading rumors They tell me they I will bring the payment later but then they will not pay me and just ignore me”. Verbal Abuse: “They speak harshly to me. Even their children talks aggressive to me, they reprimand me as a child as if I never fed them”.
Perhaps this is the reason why some older persons choose to rely on themselves using self-diversionary activities: “I just make myself calm because I am alone at home. When I get mad I calm myself by watching the television. I only get angry when the kids outside are noisy.”. This can be through interaction with other people: “I tell my problems to my friends. They accompany me to places. We drink here in the house so that I will not think about my problems. Then I ask them for advice”. Self-reliance: “I don’t ask help from other people because then you owe them. I don’t like that because in the end, they will just reprimand m. Even if it hurts, I will just tolerate it”.
Conclusion:
Urban older persons whose family work need to be dependent and left alone to fend for themselves. That is why some participants stated that they rely on themselves to cope with the situations. Others have devised self-help interventions to keep themselves afloat on a daily basis.
The study gave evidence that older persons seek the help of social networks in times of stresses or problems. A novel finding is that Filipinos take pity on older persons, therefore, their neighbors look after them. The older persons still manage to survive on a daily basis because of the good treatment of their community.
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