Meleis’s Transition Theory in Gerontogeriatric Nursing and the Future Need for Specialized Care

Abstract

With an ageing global population, healthcare systems confront challenges unique to the elderly. Current care models primarily manage health–illness shifts but frequently miss developmental transitions, particularly for older adults. Meleis’s transition theory offers an underutilized framework to rejuvenate our gerontogeriatric nursing approach. This article aims to articulate and advocate the value of Meleis’s transition theory as a framework for gerontogeriatric nursing, focusing on developmental transitions, thereby seeking a transformative change in the quality of elderly care. The article delves into Meleis’s transition theory’s vital components—transition types, conditions, and nursing therapeutics. It explores how these can be a multifaceted guide for gauging and overseeing ageing’s developmental shifts; adopting this theoretical perspective deepens our comprehension and bears tangible implications. Nurses versed in this theory could appreciate the benefits of a nuanced approach to the elderly, distinguishing it from the conventional biomedical stance. As the demands of an ageing populace grow, the integration of Meleis’s transition theory into nursing practices is not merely beneficial but imperative, setting a new standard for comprehensive and specialized elderly care.