The researchers spent time in the nursing home sitting rooms, kitchens, and corridors. The observations, though limited, can be termed as ethnographic as they involved immersion and participation in order to understand a way of life (Creswell, 2007;

Patton, PI3K Inhibitor Library cost 2002). Participation involved being with the residents, speaking to them, and sharing meals with them. The observations provide supplementary data and are not the main focus of the article. This article focuses on the interview data. Van Manen’s (1997) selective highlighting approach to text analysis is used. This hermeneutic phenomenological method of researching lived experience is both descriptive and interpretive in its form. It comprises collecting experiential material Volasertib purchase in the form of a text, then highlighting sentences, phrases, or words that can bring forth the essence of each participant’s lived experience. The philosophies of Heidegger and Levinas mediate with the authors throughout the analysis, not

to frame or constrain our understanding, but to inspire and recover meaning from the interview texts. Van Manen (2014) reminds us that phenomenology is a philosophical project that requires attentive creativity and that philosophical insight cultivates inspiration. Findings The findings from the descriptive interpretative analysis of the interviews are presented under the following themes: Stories of courage and endurance; Meaningful activities; and “I am not afraid of falling or dying” (Table II). Supportive data from the observations are included where relevant. Table II Highlighted themes and examples from the interpretive process. Stories of courage and endurance The observations and interviews showed that the nursing home residents lived with many ailments. Their form varied from day to day. They said that they felt safe and well looked after, even though they would have preferred to live at home had they been well enough. They knew that this was not a realistic

option. The residents had reduced mobility due to strokes, pulmonary conditions, and other ailments. They spoke of symptoms, such as pain, dizziness, Metalloexopeptidase shortness of breath, walking difficulties, and bladder problems. Falling as such was not an interesting subject to dwell on for the participants. Their answers on the subject were often short, as illustrated in the following quotes: “Fell at home not much to tell” (Anna, 82). Eva, 87, and Vera, 75, said that they did not think much about falling; Nils, 98, said that he had never fallen. The interviewees were more interested in talking about their present ailments or their past life as active citizens. Even though they did not dwell on falls, two of the men spoke in a dramatic away about fall incidents: I remember once I fell at the table, I became paralysed and couldn’t get up, had to crawl over to the bed (…) the whole floor was covered in blood. (Hans, 82) I was out for the count, banged my head on the wall and then on the floor.