Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions of Loneliness amongst Older Adults: A Qualitative Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Design
2.2. Participants and Setting
2.3. Data Collection
2.4. Data Analysis
2.5. Rigor
2.6. Ethical Issues
3. Results
3.1. When One’s Personal Life and Social Context Lead to Loneliness
3.1.1. Age, Physical Condition and Character Traits: Individual Obstacles Limiting Accompaniment
They might have had a stroke and be in a wheelchair and have mobility problems, so their home and the means they have at home are not adequate for them to be able to interact with their neighbours.(FG-1) ID7
They prefer to be at home alone, even if they do not talk to anyone, because of the experiences they have heard from others, and they do not want to try socialising in other centres.(FG-3) ID8
I think that culturally, they don’t want to go to places, residences or day hospitals because they are afraid of the unknown or their culture doesn’t allow them to do it.(FG-2). ID6
3.1.2. Social Factors That Push Older Adults towards Loneliness
It is also true that many family members cannot take care of their elderly because they have no time and spend most of the day at work.(ID2)
They have hired a girl to come in the morning for food and a girl to sleep. But I know people who have neither family support nor money to pay for these expenses. So the economic issue does mean that they are less lonely.(FG-3) ID9
I knew of a case where (...) the residence was in a village and it was not so easy for the relatives to be go if they were working in the city.(FG-4) NFG6
3.2. From Abandonment to Personal Growth: The Two Faces of Loneliness
3.2.1. Loneliness as an Opportunity: Between Introspection and Flight
He was very nervous and found it difficult to adapt to the hospital room where he was admitted. I remember that there were many family members with him. When I finally spoke to him, he expressed his need to go home, to be alone and to feel his inner calmness.(FG-4) ID8
There are elderly people who, living alone, completely change their lifestyle. They can do activities they have always wanted to do and devote more time to them.(ID1)
In some cases, when they are alone and feeling lonely, they realise that this gives them time for themselves, to move away from the problems that are going on around them and they feel calmer.(FG-2) ID12
3.2.2. Loneliness as a Source of Negative Feelings
They feel lonely, depressed, abandoned by their families.(FG-2) IFG6
I think the elderly often feel abandoned and their relatives know it and feel guilty about it. In the end they are all psychologically affected by it.(FG-2) ID4
Families believe that they are not alone because they are in a nursing home with company; however, deep down they feel lonely.(FG-1) NFG5
Loneliness in my case referred to the feeling she had and she didn’t schedule activities and she didn’t feel like doing anything other than being alone.(FG-3) IFG2
3.3. Loneliness as a Health Issue That Needs to Be Addressed
3.3.1. Loneliness as a Health Issue
My grandmother often reflects her feelings in physical things in order to get medical attention and dialogue with health professionals.(FG-3) ID13
When I realised, I left the room without taking his blood pressure because all he wanted to do was talk to you and it is a demand for attention.ID1
She said she wanted to go to the hospital and we didn’t realise that it was a way of somatising in order to be more attentive to her.(FG-2) NFG3
She didn’t know what time it was, so maybe she ate at 11am and then she didn’t eat again until dinner time, because she had already eaten a meal.(FG-3) ID10
They forget the appointment and don’t come. However, those who did have family members, they have their blood tests up to date, and they did not forget their hospital appointments.(FG-3) ID11
3.3.2. The Need for a Multidimensional Solution
Loneliness is not seen as a problem that affects health; there is a lack of knowledge of the health professional both personally and in dealing with these issues.(FG-1) ID14
Ideally, we would like to be able to spend more time with them, to spend more time on the emotional aspects, not just on medication and testing.(FG-1) ID3
I think the work of professionals such as the social worker and the physiotherapist is important and my experience was quite good; they did games and activities to delay the cognitive deficit.(FG-1) IFG4
It is not a question of a drug, of a therapy, but of the constancy of being there by the side of a coordinated team of professionals.(FG-1) ID5
The financial resources provided by the State are a very important help, for example, to have toilets adapted for wheelchairs or people with mobility problems.(FG-3) IFG6
Home carers play an important role in the support and well-being of the elderly and make them feel less isolated.(FG-3) ID4
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Participant | Age | Sex | Professional Experience | Profession | Area | Setting |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IDI1 | 31 | F | 5 years | Nurse | Nursing home | Rural |
IDI2 | 31 | F | 4 years | Nurse | Nursing home | Urban, Rural |
IDI3 | 26 | F | 5 years | Nurse | Nursing home | Urban |
IDI4 | 28 | F | 6 years | Nurse | Hospital | Urban |
IDI5 | 29 | F | 6 years | Physician | Primary care | Urban, Rural |
IDI6 | 22 | M | 6 months | Nurse | Hospital | Rural |
IDI7 | 22 | M | 6 months | Nurse | Nursing home | Urban |
IDI8 | 34 | F | 14 years | Nurse | Hospital | Urban, Rural |
IDI9 | 21 | F | 6 months | Nurse | Primary care | Rural |
IDI10 | 22 | F | 6 months | Nurse | Hospital | Rural |
IDI11 | 29 | F | 4 years | Physician | Nursing home | Rural |
IDI12 | 22 | F | 6 months | Nurse | Hospital | Urban |
IDI13 | 27 | F | 4 years | Nurse | Hospital | Rural |
IDI14 | 28 | F | 5 years | Psychologist | Nursing home | Urban, Rural |
NFG1 | 39 | F | 15 years | Nurse | Hospital | Urban |
NFG2 | 26 | F | 6 months | Nurse | Hospital | Urban |
NFG3 | 44 | F | 20 years | Nurse | Hospital | Urban, Rural |
NFG4 | 40 | M | 20 years | Nurse | Hospital | Urban, Rural |
NFG5 | 29 | F | 1 year | Nurse | Nursing home | Rural |
NFG6 | 21 | F | 6 months | Nurse | Hospital | Rural |
IFG1 | 22 | F | 6 months | Nurse | Primary care | Urban |
IFG2 | 22 | F | 6 months | Psychologist | Nursing home | Rural |
IFG3 | 40 | F | 18 years | Physician | Primary care | Rural |
IFG4 | 28 | F | 4 years | Physician | Hospital | Urban |
IFG5 | 31 | F | 8 years | Nurse | Nursing home | Urban |
IFG6 | 24 | M | 1 year | Psychologist | Nursing home | Urban |
Stage | Subject | Content/Example Questions |
---|---|---|
Introduction | Motives | Healthcare professionals’ perceptions of loneliness in adults offers a lesson for all. |
Intentions | To carry out research to find out these perceptions. | |
Ethical issues | Inform about the voluntary nature of participation, consent, possibility not to respond, to withdraw from the study at any point and confidentiality. | |
Beginning | Introductory question | “Please, tell me about how you perceive loneliness amongst older people living in the community and in long-term care settings.” |
Development | Conversation guide | “How do the older adults usually express this feeling to you? Tell me about the barriers older adults may encounter when trying to interact with their relatives or other care home residents? How do you think healthcare professionals can contribute to fighting loneliness?” |
Closing | Final question | “Is there anything else you would like to add?” |
Appreciation | “Thank you for your time and attention. Your participation will be very useful.” | |
Offering | “We would like to remind you that you can contact us with any further questions. When we have the results of the study, we will inform you.” |
Themes | Subthemes | Units of Meaning |
---|---|---|
When one’s personal life and social context lead to loneliness | Age, physical condition and character. Individual obstacles limiting accompaniment | Neglect, mobility problems, not wanting to be a nuisance, postmortem fidelity and preference |
Social factors that push older adults towards loneliness | Remoteness, economic inequality, getting rid of the elderly, work-related reasons, rural isolation, out of the system and abandonment | |
From abandonment to personal growth: the two faces of loneliness | Loneliness as an opportunity: between introspection and flight | Looking better and not wanting to be a nuisance |
Loneliness as a source of negative feelings | Feeling lonely, feelings of guilt, fear of the unknown, abandonment and closed in oneself | |
Loneliness as a health issue that needs to be addressed | Loneliness as a health issue | Health, disorientation, need for communication, somatising loneliness, need for relationships, demand for attention, at home: alone and at home: no stimulation |
The need for a multidimensional solution | Financial support, limitations of professionals, day centre, at home: integrated, in the community, reintegrate into the system, professionals: improvements, accompanied: participatory, need for encouragement, professionals: actions and resources |
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Dobarrio-Sanz, I.; Ruiz-González, C.; Fernández-Sola, C.; Roman, P.; Granero-Molina, J.; Hernández-Padilla, J.M. Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions of Loneliness amongst Older Adults: A Qualitative Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 12071. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212071
Dobarrio-Sanz I, Ruiz-González C, Fernández-Sola C, Roman P, Granero-Molina J, Hernández-Padilla JM. Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions of Loneliness amongst Older Adults: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(22):12071. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212071
Chicago/Turabian StyleDobarrio-Sanz, Iria, Crístofer Ruiz-González, Cayetano Fernández-Sola, Pablo Roman, José Granero-Molina, and Jose Manuel Hernández-Padilla. 2021. "Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions of Loneliness amongst Older Adults: A Qualitative Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 22: 12071. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212071
APA StyleDobarrio-Sanz, I., Ruiz-González, C., Fernández-Sola, C., Roman, P., Granero-Molina, J., & Hernández-Padilla, J. M. (2021). Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions of Loneliness amongst Older Adults: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22), 12071. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212071