El Confort de la persona maior residente en una institucion de larga permanencia

OBJECTIVE: to explore the phenomenon of the comfort of the elderly person residing in a long-term institution. METHOD: exploratory, descriptive study with qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 elderly people institutionalized in a long-term institution. RESULTS: the needs of the elderly relate to changes in the health / illness, structure / functioning of the service and attitudes towards oneself and life. The comforting strategies focus on the actions of the family / significant people, on the professional intentions of nurses, and on the co-involvement of other professional actors. The meaning / meaning of the concept of comfort, as opposed to discomfort, is related to well-being / satisfaction with life, absence of symptoms, closeness to family / significant persons, self in relation to own space / the actors’ way of being / being. CONCLUSIONS: The phenomenon of comfort constitutes the intentionality of gerontological care, and results from the identification of the real needs of the elderly person with a defined meaning in the individualization of the intervention.