Quality of life revisited: the concept of connectedness in older adults.
Viewing quality of life from a generative context gave rise to a new perspective and the old term quality of life failed to capture the essence of the new idea. Creation of a new term required a series of deliberate studies to develop the concept of connectedness. This article traces the conceptual progression and presents the concept synthesis of connectedness using literary synthesis, qualitative synthesis, and quantitative synthesis. Based on the concept synthesis, connectedness in community-dwelling older adults can be defined as engaging life by self-regulating, facing aging, being part of a family, having friends, and being spiritual.
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M Elizabeth
ME
College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA. endoxie2@aol.com
Herman
Joanne
J
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D003210:Concept Formation; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016294:Models, Nursing; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015399:Nursing Research; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012107:Research Design; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D029181:Spirituality