Who Says there is No Life After Abandonment? A Grounded Theory on the Coping of Abandoned Filipino Elderly in Nursing Homes

Cases of abandoned elderly are increasing worldwide. By and large, this group struggles with the sudden change in living arrangement as well as abandonment by their families. Consequently, many elderly are forced into living in nursing homes for the remainder of their lives. Abandonment among these elderly negatively affects how they view themselves, which is detrimental to their health and well-being. Thus, exploring the feelings of elderly regarding their abandonment and how they cope becomes a major concern in caring for them. Recognizing the dearth of literature, this grounded theory study purported to describe sthe process by which these elderly cope with abandonment. A total of 24 abandoned Filipino elderly respondents were purposively selected to take part in a semistructured in-depth interview. Following the Glaserian approach, a four-part process emerged to describe the layer of human experience under study. The R.O.P.E. to Cope Theory of Abandonment describes how the elderly progress from the resisting, occupying, pondering, and embracing phases toward successful coping. Understanding this process equips health care providers with knowledge of appropriate interventions in the provision of holistic care to the elderly. Ultimately, findings of this study will be helpful in assisting abandoned elderly individuals in their path to achieving an improved quality of life and a happier perspective on it.