title: Characteristics of residents who thrive in nursing home environments: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe what characterizes residents with higher levels compared with those with lower levels of thriving in nursing homes using the Thriving of Older People Assessment Scale.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Thriving is conceptualized as people's experiences of well-being in relation to the environment where they live. Thriving has the potential to emphasize health-promotion and positive experiences in nursing home residents in addition to current focus on illness and symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a total sample of 191 residents in a large Swedish nursing home facility were separated into two groups; rated as having high and low thriving based on a median split of thriving total score for each participating resident. The characteristics of residents with higher and lower levels of thriving were compared using bivariate analyses to investigate differences. Data were collected in 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Residents with higher levels of thriving had shorter length of stay at the facility, higher functioning in Activities of Daily Living and less cognitive impairment, lower frequency of behavioural and psychological symptoms and higher assessed quality of life. The ability to walk and possibilities to spend time outdoors were higher among those with higher levels of thriving.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nursing home residents who experience thriving have a higher level of functioning in activities of daily living, a higher quality of life and are less physically and cognitively impaired.
authors.affiliation: Division of Occupational Therapy, Department of Neurobiology, Health Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ann-Helen
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Patomella
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Sweden.|Department of Neurobiology, Health Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.|Department of Health Sciences, University of Technology, Lulea, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per-Olof
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Sandman
authors.affiliation: Lovisenberg Diaconal University College, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ådel
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Bergland
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Sweden.|School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Edvardsson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011788:Quality of Life; D013548:Sweden
keywords: activities of daily living; cognitive impairment; nursing; nursing home care; nursing home residents; physical functioning; quality of life; thriving