Advances in medical treatment mean more older people are living with burn injuries. However, little is known about experiences and support needs of this group. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of semi-structured interviews with 10 burn survivors aged 51–71 years identified four themes: time and adjusting to an altered appearance; living with a visible difference in the eyes of others; me, myself and I; importance of maintaining appearance. Adjusting to burns was a long process. Participants discussed feeling isolated, needing information about how ageing impacts on scars and maintaining a socially acceptable appearance. Implications for care and further research are discussed.
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