The lived experience of gay men caring for others whith HIV/AIDS : resilient coping skills

There is a dearth of research conducted on the relationship aspect of gay men caring for gay men. This Australian research conducted in 2002 investigated the emotional effects of HIV/AIDS on the gay male carers of gay men with the disease. This study was phenomenological inquiry and employed van Manen's approach to content analysis. Twelve participants for the study were recruited. The results produced emergent themes relating to coping with HIV/AIDS, living day-to-day with HIV/AIDS, coping with the last phase of AIDS towards death, saying goodbye and remembrance. This research highlights the resilient coping style of carers of persons living with HIV/AIDS. The research also gives rise to recommendations for practice and educational contexts in terms of the support and care considerations for persons living with HIV/AIDS and their carers.

Staying connected : the lived experiences of volunteers and older adults

Many housebound older adults lack meaningful social relationships. In this study we explore the phenomenon of social connectedness in the volunteer-older adult relationship through the experiences of frail and isolated older adults and volunteers. We conceptualise this relationship as a journey whereby each traveller plays an active role in its direction and outcome. The emergent phenomenological essence of social connectedness from these dyad’s narratives provides meaning for both differences and similarities into the way the construct is conceptualised. When volunteers maintain the boundaries of the relationship through structured conversation and visits, it is described as friendly. Transgressing the boundaries involves doing extra for the elder and is both a function of the dyad’s compatibility, and the volunteer’s sense of ongoing agency and lack of elder expectations. The sense of social connectedness inherent in these relationships often feels like that of friendship or family, and these relationships are perceived as meaningful and close for both parties. Social connectedness in family-like relationships is a function of the playing out of an otherwise missing family role. However, if volunteer volition is compromised, this results in feelings of obligation and responsibility, similar to the dynamic between blood relatives. Participants’ narratives suggest that when the boundaries of the relationship are mutually negotiated, this serves to strengthen the relationship’s socioemotional quality, and potential for the continuity of the unique sense of social connectedness that has already been established.

The lived experience of place for marginalised young people

This study explored the relationship between place and health for homeless, rural young people. Places that supported young people's health had the following attributes: feelings of physical safety and security, psychological fulfilment, sense of control, and identity. Places that appeared harmful to their health were described as alienating and threatening.

Dialysing acutely ill patients : the lived experience of renal nurses

This interpretive study is based on Heideggarian phenomenology and explores the lived experiences of four registered nurses experienced in the use of haemodialysis as a renal replacement therapy.

A phenomenological study of the lived experiences of registered nurses seconded to perform clinical teaching

This phenomenological study explores the clinical teaching experiences of registered nurses seconded from a large metropolitan hospital. The study is based on a conceptual framework encompassing the notion of role, learning and teaching.

The lived experience of registered nurses caring for adolescent females diagnosed with anorexia nervosa on adolescent wards in public hospitals in Victoria

Explores in depth the experiences of registered nurses caring for female patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa on adolescent wards in public hospitals in Victoria. The philosophy of Husserl and the procedural steps of analysis developed by Paul Colaizzi were the basis for investigating and extracting the essence of the lived experiences of participants.

The lived experience of flexible education : theory, policy and practice

The range of rationales that underpin conceptions of flexible education, and the re-making over time of the official meaning of flexibility in national education policy, have led to the point where flexibility might be found, or be required, in nearly every aspect of Australian higher education. This paper seeks to identify those rationales and the development of public policy rhetoric that have framed the development of the meaning of flexible education over time in an Australian context. By considering the intersection of theoretical and policy perspectives on flexible education with the realities of teaching and learning practice in the discipline context of engineering, this paper proposes the essential importance of individual context and agency in the making of real meaning from, and creating practical boundaries around, the otherwise tenuous definitions of flexibility often offered by institutional policy.

Being 'fat' in today's world : a qualitative study of the lived experiences of people with obesity in Australia

Objective  To develop an in-depth picture of both lived experience of obesity and the impact of socio-cultural factors on people living with obesity.

Design  Qualitative methodology, utilizing in-depth semi-structured interviews with a community sample of obese adults (body mass index ≥30). Community sampling methods were supplemented with purposive sampling techniques to ensure a diverse range of individuals were included.

Results  Seventy-six individuals (aged 16–72) were interviewed. Most had struggled with their weight for most of their lives (n = 45). Almost all had experienced stigma and discrimination in childhood (n = 36), as adolescents (n = 41) or as adults (n = 72). About half stated that they had been humiliated by health professionals because of their weight. Participants felt an individual responsibility to lose weight, and many tried extreme forms of dieting to do so. Participants described an increasing culture of ‘blame’ against people living with obesity perpetuated by media and public health messages. Eighty percent said that they hated or disliked the word obesity and would rather be called fat or overweight.

Discussion and Conclusion  There are four key conclusions: (i) the experiences of obesity are diverse, but there are common themes, (ii) people living with obesity have heard the messages but find it difficult to act upon them, (iii) interventions should be tailored to address both individual and community needs and (iv) we need to rethink how to approach obesity interventions to ensure that avoid recapitulating damaging social stereotypes and exacerbating social inequalities.

The lived experiences of third culture kids transitioning into university life in Australia

This study presents a new orienting framework to aid in the understanding of how Third Culture Kids' (TCKs) transition into university life in Australia. The framework was developed after analysis of data from a qualitative phenomenological research project using data from 12 in-depth interviews with Australian TCKs aged 18-27 years who, had spent 3-18 years living in Africa, Europe and Asia and had been in Australia for seven months to nine years. After thematic data analysis was conducted four themes emerged from the data which resulted in the development of a TCK Transition into University Model. This model includes four stages; (a) preparedness prior to transition, (b) initial experience during transition, (c) adjustment during transition and (d) stabilisation. Each of the four stages provides information about participants' practical, social and emotional experience of the transition to university life in Australia. The key findings included participants who received preparation from their school and family prior to moving, had practical support in Australia and engaged in Australian social networks and university life experienced improved emotional health and made way for a positive transition. Participants who were socially isolated and had limited practical support experienced relatively poor emotional health and transitional hardships. The findings from this research suggest that a TCKs' emotional and mental health during transition is either negatively or positively affected by the preparation they received prior to moving, the practical stressors they encountered upon arrival and the social integration into Australian social networks and universities. Further qualitative research in the area of TCK transition experiences should consider including the narratives of TCKs from various geographic backgrounds, sexualities, abilities and ethnicities to diversify and build on the evidence base around the TCK phenomenon. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

The lived experience of Australian retirees: 'I'm retired, what do i do now?'

Introduction: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of retirement in a context where it is not compulsory, and to understand consequent changes in roles, identity and occupational adaptation from the perspective of Australian retirees. Method: Five people aged between 61 and 68 years, who had retired during the previous 18 months, were interviewed. Data analysis included transcription and coding of data, data aggregation and identification of themes. Findings: The themes that emerged from the data analysis were related to time structure and meaningful occupations, ageing and performance capacity, role changes, emotional adjustment to retirement and preparation for retirement. Conclusion: The findings suggest that engagement in meaningful occupations and valued roles, along with the emergence of grandparenting as a significant role, the development of new interests and engagement in retirement planning activities, and support in restructuring the use of time are essential to maintain a positive identity and to adapt successfully to retirement. © The College of Occupational Therapists Ltd.

The lived experience of volunteering in a palliative care biography service

OBJECTIVE: Many patients approaching death experience hopelessness, helplessness, and a depressed mood, and these factors can contribute to a difficult end-of-life (EoL) period. Biography services may assist patients in finding meaning and purpose at this time. The aim of our study was to investigate the lived experience of volunteers involved in a biography service in Melbourne, Australia, using a qualitative methodology. METHOD: The participants were 10 volunteers who had participated in a biography service within a private palliative care service. Each volunteer was interviewed separately using a study-specific semistructured interview guide. The transcripts of these interviews were then subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Analysis yielded the following themes: motivations for volunteering; dealing with death, dying, and existential issues; psychosocial benefits of volunteering; and benefits and challenges of working with patients and their families. Our results indicated that volunteering gave the volunteers a deeper appreciation of existential issues, and helped them to be more appreciative of their own lives and gain a deeper awareness of the struggles other people experience. They also suggested that volunteers felt that their involvement contributed to their own personal development, and was personally rewarding. Furthermore, the results highlighted that volunteers found that encounters with family members were sometimes challenging. While some were appreciative, others imposed time limits, became overly reliant on the volunteers, and were sometimes offended, hurt, and angered by what was included in the final biography. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: It is hoped that the findings of the current study will provide direction for improvements in the biography services that will benefit patients, family members, and volunteers. In particular, our findings highlight the need to provide ongoing support for volunteers to assist them in handling the challenges of volunteering in a palliative care setting.

Navigating the terrain of lived experiences: the value of lifeworld existentials for reflective analysis

In qualitative research we are often presented with a tension between having open and fluid interviews to support staying true to the lived experiences of participants and achieving a level of abstraction from the data in order to uncover the essential structures and meanings of that particular lived experience. A way of resolving this tension is through the application of theoretical frameworks. Van Manen’s four lifeworld existentials offer a lens through which to explore and navigate disparate interview data and uncover the essences of lived experience, without imposing categories upon the data itself. Drawing on a study exploring the lived experiences of childless women, we explore the process and principles in operationalising the existentials and discuss the potential implications for analysis and findings. The article demonstrates how Van Manen’s lifeworld existentials present us with a holistic and valuable method for reflective practice, in coming to understand lived experience.

Peeling the onion: understanding others' lived experience

BACKGROUND: Society and some healthcare professionals often marginalise pregnant women who take illicit substances. Likewise the midwives who care for these women are often viewed as working on the edge of society. The aim of this research was to examine the lived world of these midwives to gain insight into the world of their work.

DESIGN: A phenomenological study informed by Heidegger, Gadamer and Merleau-Ponty was chosen to frame these lived experiences of the midwives. Using face-to-face phenomenological interviews data were collected from 12 midwives whose work is only caring for women who take illicit drugs.

RESULTS: The 3 fundamental themes that emerged from the study were: making a difference, establishing partnerships: and letting go and refining practice. Conclusions and impetus for this paper: Lived experiences are unique and can be difficult for researchers to grasp. The stories told by participants are sometimes intangible and often couched in metaphor. This paper aims to discuss lived experience and suggests that like an onion, several layers have to be peeled away before meaning can be exposed; and like peeling onions, each cover reveals another layer beneath that is different from before and different from the next. Exemplars from this midwifery study are used to explain lived experiences.