Aged Care Ethical Values: A Content Analysis of the Literature

Ethical values have gained much interest in health care. They are the basis of the behaviour and performance of professional care staff. This article aimed to explain ethical values in aged care. In this content analysis, major databases including PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, ProQuest, Web of Science, Psych Info, and Google Scholar were searched from January 2000 to June 2018 using specific keywords, and a total of 43 articles were included considering the inclusion criteria of the study. The texts of the results of the articles were studied repeatedly and the data were coded and classified using the method presented by Graneheim and Lundman. Five main themes of ethical values including preserving dignity, preserving integrity, establishing human relationships, justice, and providing professional care, along with 19 subcategories, were identified. Ethical values in aged care include providing professional care, and paying more attention to human aspects of care. Providing ethical care requires better understanding of older adults, awareness of their needs, and efforts to solve their problems.