Download pdf
Older residents’ experience of loneliness in nursing homes: A qualitative study
- 1 Zhengzhou University
- 2 Zhengzhou University
- 3 Zhengzhou University
- 4 Zhengzhou University
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: This qualitative study investigates the multifaceted experiences of loneliness among elderly residents in long-term care facilities, delving into the intricacies of this pervasive issue. Loneliness is a detrimental issue among this vulnerable group, and understanding its impact on the well-being of older individuals is crucial in that it shows requirements of both humanitarian spirit and traditional moral code. Methods: In this research, a qualitative approach is employed among a diverse group of residents in a certain care home, including in-depth interviews, observational data, and content analysis of personal narratives. Results: Thematic analysis revealed accordingly several common themes related to loneliness, including the common feelings of loneliness, its contributing factors, and individual coping strategies. Conclusion: The findings underscore the complexity of the loneliness experience among the elderly living in care facilities and highlight the need for targeted interventions and policies in long-term care settings to address this significant issue. The insights gained from this research provide valuable information for future policymakers, healthcare providers, and care facility administrators in improving the well-being of elderly residents.
Keywords
quantitative research, loneliness among the elderly, care home residents, well-being of the elderly
[1]. Suzman, R., Beard, J. R., Boerma, T., et al. Health in an ageing world--what do we know?. Lancet,2015,385(9967).484-486.
[2]. Ng, S. M., Lee, T. M. C. The mediating role of hardiness in the relationship between perceived loneliness and depressive symptoms among older. Aging & Mental Health, 2020, 24(5).805-810.
[3]. Cacioppo, J. T.,Cacioppo, S.The growing problem of loneliness. Lancet, 2018, 391(10119).426.
[4]. Valtorta, N., Hanratty, B. Loneliness, isolation and the health of older adults:do we need a new research agenda?. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 2012, 105(12).518-522.
[5]. Yang, H. M. Dynamic trend of China’s population ageing and new characteristics of the elderly. Population Research, 2022, 46(5).104-116.
[6]. Department of Ageing Health.Communique on the development of the national cause for aging in 2021 [EB/OL]. [2022-11-24]. http://www.nhc.gov.cn/lljks/s10742/202210/ e09f046ab8f14967b19c3cb5c1d934b5.shtml.
[7]. Wang, J. Y, Lloyd-evan, Marston, et al. Loneliness as a predictor of outcomes in mental disorders among people who have experienced a mental health crisis: a 4-month prospective study. Bmc Psychiatry, 2020, 20(1). 249.
[8]. Wu, J. The relationship between social support, loneliness and subjective well-being in the elderly. Psychological Science, 2008, 31(4). 984-986,1004.
[9]. Hawkley, L. C., Thisted, R. A., Masi, C. M., et al. Loneliness predicts increased blood pressure: 5-year cross-lagged analyses in middle-aged and older adults. Psychol Aging, 2010, 25(1). 132-141.
[10]. Stravynski, A, Boyer, R. Loneliness in relation to suicide ideation and parasuicide: A population-wide study. Suicide Life-Threat, 2001, 31(1). 32-40.
[11]. Herlitz, J, Wiklund, I, Caidahl, K, et al. The feeling of loneliness prior to coronary artery bypass grafting might be a predictor of short- and long-term postoperative mortality. Eur J Vasc Endovasc, 1998, 16(2). 120-125.
[12]. Weiss, R. Loneliness: the experience of emotional and social isolation.Cambridge Massachusetts:MIT Press,1973:1.
[13]. Bing Y, Leilei G. A study on the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale. Chinese general medicine, 2019, 22(33), 4110-4115.
[14]. Shaoling W, Tiebin Y, Lirong H. Research on validity and reliability of simple intelligence test scale. Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2003, 25(3), 140-142.
[15]. Zhang, Q. Q., Zhang, Q., Chen, Q. X., et al. Research on the status quo and influencing factors of loneliness and attachment among elderly people in nursing homes. Nursing Research, 2015, 29(8C). 2960-2963.
[16]. Zhang, L. J., Xu, H. Evaluation of humanistic care behavior of elderly people in nursing institutions and analysis of influencing factors. Journal of Nursing Science, 2017, 32(6).16-18.
[17]. Maslow, A. H. Motivation and personality. Harpers, 1954.
[18]. Xunzi. “Jie Bi.” Selected Works of Xunzi.
[19]. Tang, D., Zhou, J., Shen, J. L., Zhang, L. Influencing factors of subjective well-being of the elderly. Chinese Journal of Mental Health, 2006, 20(3). 160-162
[20]. Diener, E. D. Subjective Emotional Well-Being. Chapter in M. Lewis & M. Haviland ( Eds). Handbook of Emotions ( 2nd Ed ). New York, 2000, 325-337
[21]. Diener, E. B., Diener, R. New directions in subjective well-being research. The cutting edge Indian J O in Psychol , 2000, 27. 21-33.
[22]. Liu, J. G., Yu, Y. H., Ke, N. X. Relationship between life events, coping styles, social support and mental health in older adults. Chinese Journal of Health Psychology, 2007, 15(1). 90-91
Cite this article
Zhuansun,M.;Liu,L.;Xu,T.;Qian,Y. (2024). Older residents’ experience of loneliness in nursing homes: A qualitative study. Theoretical and Natural Science,29,200-207.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
Disclaimer/Publisher's Note
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.
About volume
Volume title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Modern Medicine and Global Health
© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who
publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this
series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published
version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial
publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and
during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See
Open access policy for details).