Power resources of older people in Iran.
BACKGROUND
Maximising the client's power resources facilitates their ability to cope with chronic illness. Nurses must be well informed about power resources and feelings of empowerment among older people.


OBJECTIVE
This article reports on a study exploring power resources in daily life from the perspective of older people in Iran.


METHODS
A qualitative content analysis study was conducted. The participants were selected from older community dwellers in Iran using in-depth, semi-structured interviews to understand their experiences with power resources.


RESULTS
Power in older people in Iran is represented by four dimensions: spiritual, intellectual, social and physical. Each power dimension can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic modes.


CONCLUSIONS
By maximising older people's power in intellectual, social and especially in spiritual resources, the effect of the loss of physical power, with its deteriorative or depressogenic effect on older people's sense of power and well-being can be compensated for. It is recommended that nurses should plan their interventions to enhance older people's power, especially their spiritual power.


CONCLUSIONS
Different models of empowering older people should be explored in Iranian nursing care delivery.
Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and The Persian Gulf Tropical and Infectious Disease Research Center Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran. ravanipour@bpums.ac.ir
Maryam
M
Ravanipour
Shayesteh
S
Salehi
Fariba
F
Taleghani
Heidar Ali
HA
Abedi
Sayed Reza
SR
Ishaghi
Marieke J
MJ
Schuurmans
Anneke
A
de Jong
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007492:Iran; D019359:Knowledge; D053580:Muscle Strength; D012938:Social Perception; D029181:Spirituality