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I Already Exist, I'm Here To "Live": Nursing Home Residents' Self-Determination Attitudes And Beliefs Following A Diabetic Meal Plan

Banks, Tameika (2019) I Already Exist, I'm Here To "Live": Nursing Home Residents' Self-Determination Attitudes And Beliefs Following A Diabetic Meal Plan. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

At least 60% of nursing home residents are diagnosed with a chronic disease. Chronic
diseases require ongoing medical treatment and need to be managed with diet. If not treated and
managed, chronic diseases can limit daily living activities, leading to poor quality of life.
Therapeutic diets such as low sodium, cardiac, and diabetic meal plans are usually necessary to
manage chronic diseases. However, these meal plans are blamed for decreased intake and
increased risk of malnutrition in the nursing home population. The recent culture change seen in
nursing homes resulted in the liberalization of diets. However, to maintain self-determination,
residents are requesting more restrictive meal plans to manage their chronic conditions and more
control of their therapeutic selections. This ethnographic study investigates the perception of
nursing home residents with diabetes following restricted diets’ as it relates to meal choice,
food/food service satisfaction, support for self-determination, and how nursing home residents
with diabetes manifest self-determination. Sunny Peak Living Center in Ross Township is one of
four non-profit Allegheny County nursing homes in the Pittsburgh area dedicated to enhancing
quality of life of residents and families. Resident observations took place at meal time, council
meeting, and socials for over 11 weeks. Interviews were conducted with 12 Caucasian, cognitively
alert residents, diagnosed with diabetes and prescribed a Consistent Carbohydrate Diet, including
7 men and 5 women, ranging in age from 64-94. Semi-structured audio-recorded interviews were
transcribed and analyzed using constant comparison to develop themes. Residents perceive
therapeutic diets as helpful in the treatment of diabetes and feel diets are necessary to maintain
health and food service satisfaction is maximized by choice. Residents manifest self-determination
by exercising meal choice and expressing preferences and opinions about food/foodservice
satisfaction during meals as well as socials and resident council.


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Details

Item Type: University of Pittsburgh ETD
Status: Unpublished
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Banks, Tameikatab153@pitt.edutab153
ETD Committee:
TitleMemberEmail AddressPitt UsernameORCID
Committee ChairFertman, Carlcarl@pitt.edu
Committee MemberDavis, Kelliann Kkelli.davis@pitt.edu
Committee MemberHutcheson, Deborahdhutches@pitt.edu
Date: 30 July 2019
Date Type: Publication
Defense Date: 23 April 2019
Approval Date: 30 July 2019
Submission Date: 25 June 2019
Access Restriction: No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately.
Number of Pages: 90
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs: School of Education > Health and Physical Activity
Degree: EdD - Doctor of Education
Thesis Type: Doctoral Dissertation
Refereed: Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords: nursing home, resident-centered care, self-determination theory, quality of life, therapeutic diet
Date Deposited: 30 Jul 2019 14:19
Last Modified: 30 Jul 2019 14:19
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/36991

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