A qualitative hermeneutical understanding of spiritual care in old age when living in a nursing home: The residents' voices

Abstract

Aim: To explore and gain a broader understanding of residents' viewpoints and experiences of spiritual care when living in a nursing home. Design: A qualitative hermeneutical interview study inspired by Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics. Methods: Thirty-eight individual interviews of 14 male and 24 female residents; of these, 24 had a dementia diagnosis. The setting was one large Norwegian nursing home providing long-term care. FACIT-Sp-12 was used as a guide for the interview, in addition to two open-ended questions about thriving and spiritual care. Findings: The older residents' voices portray a broad and diverse understanding of spiritual care, and four themes emerged: (1) Spiritual at-homeness, (2) Spiritual awareness, (3) Philosophy of life and (4) Interconnectedness. Conclusion: Accepting one's life situation in a nursing home can foster a feeling of belonging, leading to feeling more at-home. Spiritual well-being, including finding purpose, spiritual awareness, and beliefs, was found to be interconnected with spiritual at-homeness in the nursing home. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: This study provides insights into older nursing home residents' viewpoints on spiritual care, including persons living with dementia. Impact: The study addressed the limited evidence regarding how older residents themselves experience and express spiritual care. Listening to older nursing home residents' voices provides a unique contribution to the research field. As several individuals with dementia contributed to the findings, this study mirrors the current population of residents in nursing homes. The findings may inform healthcare provision and policymakers and impact upon spiritual care in the field of older people nursing and dementia care services. Reporting Method: The COREQ guideline. Patient or Public Contribution: Participation through interviews of nursing home residents.