Meaning in life: the perspective of long-term care residents.

A qualitative approach was used in the exploration of meaning in life for long-term care (LTC) residents. This hermeneutic phenomenological study, as described by van Manen, was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 11 LTC residents from a rural region in Atlantic Canada. Four themes emerged as enhancing meaning in life for the residents in this study: Connectedness, Survival Despite Declining Functional Capacity, Engaging in "Normal" Activities, and Seeking a Place of Refuge. In this article, we describe the emerging themes and the implications for LTC education, practice, and future research.