Deinstitutionalized senior-friendly accommodations: A phenomenological exploration of deindividualized institutional life of older adults in senior living facilities

Guided by Moustakas' Transcendental Phenomenology, this study explores the lived experiences of older adults coping with institutionalization within senior living facilities and the established meanings in their day-to-day lives in an environment away from home. Semi-structured, in-depth, one-on-one interviews were conducted, and themes were examined vigorously. The Modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen analytical method was used to un-cover emergent themes from the experiences of 28 older adults aged 60-95 who had lived in a senior living facility. The results revealed the following themes associated with the studied phenomenon: institutionalized life, "not my choice", deindividualization, emotional dissonance, invisible boundaries, and the impact of repetition on confidence, which contribute to the phenomenon's complexity and older adults' experiences. Given the changing demographics and unique needs of older adults, the findings are important in the evolution of senior-friendly accommodations and have significant implications for academics, practitioners, policymakers, government agencies, senior living facilitators, and healthcare providers.