Sammanfattning
Background
Unmet existential needs can lead to feelings of existential loneliness that in turn has an impact on health and wellbeing. There is limited knowledge about frail old people’s experience of existential loneliness. Such knowledge is important in order to guide health professionals to discover and encounter older people’s needs. Therefore, the aim of the study was to illuminate the meanings of existential loneliness as narrated by frail old people.
Method
The study had a qualitative descriptive design based on 23 narrative interviews with frail older people (>75 years) in different care contexts such as; primary health care center specializing in older people, municipal home care, residential care facilities, hospital ward, and specialized palliative care. A phenomenological hermeneutical analysis was used.
Result
The findings showed that existential loneliness meant being trapped in a frail and deteriorating body, being met with indifference, having nobody to share life with, and lacking purpose and meaning. The intertwined themes synthesized into a comprehensive understanding of existential loneliness as “being disconnected from life”.
Conclusion
Illness and physical limitation affects access to the world. When being met with indifference and being unable to share one’s thoughts and experiences of life with others, a sense of worthlessness is reinforced, triggering an experience of meaninglessness and EL, i.e. disconnection from life. It is urgent to develop support strategies that can be used by health care professionals to address older people in vulnerable situations, thereby facilitating connectedness.
Unmet existential needs can lead to feelings of existential loneliness that in turn has an impact on health and wellbeing. There is limited knowledge about frail old people’s experience of existential loneliness. Such knowledge is important in order to guide health professionals to discover and encounter older people’s needs. Therefore, the aim of the study was to illuminate the meanings of existential loneliness as narrated by frail old people.
Method
The study had a qualitative descriptive design based on 23 narrative interviews with frail older people (>75 years) in different care contexts such as; primary health care center specializing in older people, municipal home care, residential care facilities, hospital ward, and specialized palliative care. A phenomenological hermeneutical analysis was used.
Result
The findings showed that existential loneliness meant being trapped in a frail and deteriorating body, being met with indifference, having nobody to share life with, and lacking purpose and meaning. The intertwined themes synthesized into a comprehensive understanding of existential loneliness as “being disconnected from life”.
Conclusion
Illness and physical limitation affects access to the world. When being met with indifference and being unable to share one’s thoughts and experiences of life with others, a sense of worthlessness is reinforced, triggering an experience of meaninglessness and EL, i.e. disconnection from life. It is urgent to develop support strategies that can be used by health care professionals to address older people in vulnerable situations, thereby facilitating connectedness.
| Originalspråk | Engelska |
|---|---|
| Status | Publicerad - 2019 |
| Evenemang | International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress - Göteborg, Sverige Varaktighet: 2019-maj-23 → 2019-maj-25 https://iagger2019.se/ |
Konferens
| Konferens | International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics European Region Congress |
|---|---|
| Förkortad titel | IAGG-ER |
| Land/Territorium | Sverige |
| Ort | Göteborg |
| Period | 19-05-23 → 19-05-25 |
| Internetadress |