An analysis of psychosocial theories of ageing and their relevance to practical gerontological nursing in Sweden.
BACKGROUND
Theories exist to challenge current practice, create new approaches to practice and remodel the structure of rules and principles. One question is whether nurses could find in psychosocial theories of ageing a theoretical foundation on which to base support of older people in their ageing process.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present paper was to analyse five psychosocial theories of ageing and to discover what they could mean for gerontological nursing in Sweden.


METHODS
A literature search was conducted to find original works. Research questions inspired by Fawcett's framework guided the analysis.


RESULTS
Psychosocial theories of ageing cover different aspects of the ageing process, but do not address crucial issues regarding the attitudes and structure of good nursing care. These theories provide no clear guidance on how to care for older people and how to support them in their ageing process. However, the analysis did show that the theories contain underlying values that influence society and staff as regards their views on the ageing process and how care of older people should be carried out. Nursing interventions to support ageing will be quite different depending on the theoretical perspective taken by nurses.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need to translate the ageing theories into guidelines, so that staff in gerontological care will have tools to use in practice irrespective of which theoretical perspective they choose to use in care. This could also promote care that is tailored to each individual older person.
Wadensten
Barbro
B
Department of Caring Sciences and Sociology, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden. barbro.wadensten@hig.se
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009742:Nursing Theory; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012380:Role; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D012945:Social Values; D013548:Sweden