Elderly women’s experiences of support when living with congestive heart failure

摘要

Heart failure is a chronic syndrome that has physiological, psychological and social effects. The aim of the study was tonilluminate the meanings of support as experienced by elderly women with chronic heart failure. Narrative interviews werenconducted with five elderly women with chronic heart failure. A phenomenological hermeneutic method of interpretationnwas used. The meanings of support were experienced by the women out of two perspectives, that is, when support is presentnand when there is a lack of support. The findings were revealed in two themes: ‘‘Feeling confident means support’’ andn‘‘Feeling abandoned’’. The women do not wish to be a burden. They want to be independent as much as possible to defendntheir dignity. An important support to the women is that they are understood and confirmed in their illness. Supportivenrelations are most valuable, that is, a relationship that supports the women’s independence. If there is no supportivenrelationship, they feel like a burden to others and they feel lonely; this loneliness creates suffering and counteracts wellbeingnand health.