Navigating the Journey to Menses Cessation

Abstract

Purpose: This article explores contemporary women’s perceptions of the experience of the menopausal process within the Western industrialized culture, describes and synthesizes the processes used by women to evaluate available information, and explores and facilitates processes used by women to envision and create change in their life world. Method: An emancipatory group process was designed to facilitate dialogue between the investigator and nine women who met as a group eight times during a 10-week period in the home of one of the participants. Findings: Participants identified menses cessation as a time of change in all aspects of their lives. They employed decision making to cope with these changes and, as a result of the awareness that came through the research process, invited other women to celebrate the collective wisdom of women at all stages of life. Conclusion: Women experiencing menses cessation need information and time to process that information internally and in relation with others. Implications: Nurses can facilitate the process by providing knowledge, assisting women in decision making, and intervening in ways that contribute to a holistic quality of life for women.