Identification of Facilitators and Deterrents of the Quality of Life in Elderly Women and Men: A Phenomenological Research

Objectives Considering the rapid growth of elderly population in the world, especially in Iran, studying the quality of life in elderly people and the identification of factors affecting them is of particular importance. This research aimed to identify factors which could improve or deteriorate quality of life in elderly women and men.
Methods & Materials The present research is a qualitative and phenomenological study. The study participants were 23 elderly who were selected by the purposive sampling method, having ages between 61 and 101 years. The elderly subjects consisted of 60.9% of women and 39.1% of men. Data were collected by in-depth and semi-structured interviews. The interviews were recorded and analyzed based on Streubert and Carpenter method.
Results Research findings include 6 main themes and 24 subthemes. The main themes are as follows: “internal facilitate contexts”, “external driving factors”, “interpersonal challenges and problems”, “obstacles and deficiencies in the field of external”, “declined desires and aspirations”, and “necessities and suggestions for improvement”.
Conclusion Our study indicates that to improve the life, the elderly should pay attention to factors such as the role of religious beliefs, proper nutrition, meeting relatives, reminiscence, and establishing proper social relationships. In addition, removing barriers such as breaking the taboo of elderly marriage, financial support, and providing counseling services could improve their quality of life.