OCCUPATIONAL VALUE EXPERIENCED IN PERSONAL PROJECTS RELEVANT TO OLD PERSONS' HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Experienced meaning in daily occupations is known to influence health and well-being positively. The ValMO-model suggests that occupational value contributes to meaning in life. The aim of this study was to explore variations... [ view full abstract ]

Experienced meaning in daily occupations is known to influence health and well-being positively. The ValMO-model suggests that occupational value contributes to meaning in life. The aim of this study was to explore variations in occupational value as interpreted from old persons’ personal projects described relevant to health and well-being during a year.
The sample for this study was texts describing five core projects including fourteen personal projects relevant to health and well-being of 11 old persons (M=76) in northern Sweden. The texts were analysed by latent content analysis guided by a deductive approach based on the concepts of occupational value in order to extract and count expressions interpreted as describing, concrete, symbolic, and self-rewarding occupational value.
The results show that four of the five core projects were dominated by expressions of symbolic value. Within the fourteen personal projects the highest frequencies for expressed occupational value were showed for concrete value 46% and symbolic value 40% contrasting self-rewarding value 14%. Symbolic value were mostly expressed in the core project, Promoting conditions of healthy ageing, Being close to the nature, Keeping the family together, and concrete value in, Cultivating oneself. Self-rewarding value was least expressed in all the core projects.
These results show that old persons need to continue to be productive and develop their skills in society and has less need of being amused by others to experiencing meaning in life. These results may influence the content of occupations suggested to old persons in the care centres and within communities.