Navigating Institutional Press: The Psychological Enterprise and Self-Transcendence of Elderly in Nursing Homes
Santhet June 28, 2026 DOI: 10.36526/santhet.v10i3.8703 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Elderly nursing home residents aged 65-82 in Tondano, Indonesia |
| Key findings | The authors report that residents actively pursue self-transcendence through spirituality and generativity, which they describe as bypassing the lower tiers of Maslow's hierarchy. They also identify friction between psychogenic needs for affiliation, nurturance, and autonomy and negative institutional press such as rigid schedules and restricted visits, which residents manage through adaptive psychological enterprises that balance compliance with subtle assertions of independence. |
Abstract
Background: The dominant discourse often positions the elderly in nursing homes as passive recipients of medical care. However, psychologically, they actively engage in Psychological Enterprise to maintain autonomy and well-being amidst institutional limitations.
Objective: This study explores the psychological enterprise of the elderly in nursing homes through the integrated lens of Maslow’s self-transcendence and Murray’s psychogenic needs and press.
Method: A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 elderly residents (aged 65-82) in a nursing home in Tondano, Indonesia. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.
Results: The findings reveal two major themes: (1) Elderly actively pursue self-transcendence (spirituality and generativity), bypassing the lower tiers of Maslow's hierarchy; (2) A constant friction exists between Murray’s psychogenic needs (affiliation, nurturance, autonomy) and negative institutional press (rigid schedules, restricted visits). To cope, the elderly develop adaptive psychological enterprises, balancing compliance with subtle assertions of independence.
Conclusion: Nursing homes must shift from a purely medical-care model to a psychogenically empowering environment that accommodates the elderly's need for meaning and autonomy.