The Marital Perceptions of Elderly Persons Living or Having a Spouse Living in a Long-term Care Institution in Canada

Abstract

The focus of this study is on the way that older married persons living, or having a spouse living, in a long-term care institution perceive their marriages following relocation. A qualitative analysis of 161 interviews was conducted. For noninstitutionalized spouses (n = 74), four themes emerged from the data--"marriage as a memory," the "illusory marriage," the "changed marriage," and the "continuing marriage." For institutionalized spouses (n = 87), three themes emerged, including the "happy marriage," the "detached marriage," and the "altered marriage." Relocation did not appear to have a direct impact on the way respondents perceived their marriages. Continuity theory was helpful in understanding these marital perceptions.