Bodily disconnection in nursing home residents: The relationshop between bodily disconnection, deppresive symptoms and meaning in life

To examine the relationship between bodily disconnection and two indicators of late life well-being – depressive symptoms and meaning in life (MIL) – among older adults residing in nursing homes. Psycho-gerontological research has begun to show increased interest in the physical dimension of ageing – the ageing body – and has focused on older adults’ subjective experiences of their bodies. These studies indicate that some older adults experience bodily disconnection as a reaction towards an ageing body that feels unfamiliar and strange. Theoretical arguments have suggested possible links between bodily disconnection, depressive symptoms, and MIL; however, these relationships have not yet been empirically investigated among older adults in nursing homes. This study used a cross-sectional quantitative design, with questionnaires administered face-to-face to older adults living in nursing homes. A total of 242 older adults from 22 Flemish (Belgian) nursing homes completed questionnaires on bodily disconnection, depressive symptoms, and MIL. Data were analysed using multiple linear regressions and a mediation model. Bodily disconnection was negatively predictive of MIL and positively predictive of depressive symptoms. A more exploratory analysis further suggested that MIL may mediate the relationship between bodily disconnection and depressive symptoms. These results show that bodily disconnection may play an important role in the psychological well-being of older adults residing in nursing homes, which shows the potential importance of moving beyond a purely physical perspective when approaching and treating the ageing body.