“Living with Wisdom and Compassion”: A Grounded Theory of Enhancing Harmony in the Lives of Older Thai People During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that significantly affects all dimensions of older people’s lives. They are vulnerable to the infection and face disharmony because of its impact. This grounded theory study aimed to describe the process of enhancing harmony in the lives of older Thai people when facing the COVID-19 pandemic. A purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 21 older people living in an urban area of a large city in southern Thailand. Data were collected from July 2020 to November 2021 through in-depth interviews and were analyzed based on Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory. The core category, Living with wisdom and compassion, was identified as enhancing harmony in older people’s lives when facing the COVID-19 pandemic. This comprised two categories. The first of these, Strengthening the mind and living with wisdom, incorporated three sub-categories: Adhering to COVID-19 prevention to ensure safety without causing worry to others, Searching for new strategies and seeking support to survive, and Accepting and learning to let go. The second category, Attaining self-immunity and a secure life, comprised three sub-categories: Living with purpose, Appreciating friendship, generosity, and compassion, and Living with care and self-sufficiency. Understanding the process of enhancing harmony in the lives of Thai older people during the pandemic may assist nurses in developing holistic programs incorporated with their wisdom to prepare readiness and support older people in living well in daily life and dealing with new emerging crises in the future.