BackgroundA fragmented health care system leads to an increased demand for continuity of care across health care levels. Research indicates age-related differences during care transition, with the oldest patients having experiences and needs that differ from those of other patients. To meet the older patients’ needs and preferences during care transition, professionals must understand their experiences.ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to explore how patients ≥80 years of age experienced the care transition from hospital to municipal health care services.MethodsThe study has a descriptive, explorative design, using semistructured interviews. Fourteen patients aged ≥80 participated in the study. Qualitative content analysis was used to describe the individuals’ experiences during care transition.ResultsTwo complementary themes emerged during the analysis: “Participation depends on being invited to plan the care transition” and “Managing continuity of care represents a complex and challenging process”.DiscussionLack of participation, insufficient information, and vague responsibilities among staff during care transition seemed to limit the continuity of care. The patients are the vulnerable part of the care transition process, although they possess important resources, which illustrate the importance of making their voice heard. Older patients are therefore likely to benefit from more intensive support. A tailored, patient-centered follow-up of each patient is suggested to ensure that patient preferences and continuity of care to adhere to the new situation.

Background: Loneliness is a significant psychosocial effect following a cancer diagnosis and may prevent people from engaging in social activities, thus creating difficulties in interpersonal relationships. This study investigated loneliness and social support among cognitively intact nursing home residents with cancer by using a quantitatively driven mixed-methods design with sequential supplementary qualitative components. Methods:The quantitative component consisted of face-to-face interviews of 60 nursing home residents ($65 years) using the one-item Loneliness Scale and the Social Provisions Scale. The supplementary psychosocial component consisted of qualitative research interviews about experiences related to loneliness with nine respondents. Results: The quantitative results indicated that reassurance of worth was associated with loneliness. The experience of loneliness was identified by the following: loneliness that was dominated by a feeling of inner pain, feeling of loss, and feeling small. Loneliness was alleviated by the following: being engaged in activities, being in contact with other people, and occupying oneself. Conclusion: Enhancing the lives of nursing home residents with cancer requires attending to the residents' experience of loneliness and social relationships in a targeted and individualized manner. This might require screening all nursing home residents for early detection of loneliness. Revealing factors that may contribute to or reduce loneliness improves the ability to enhance people's lives.

Aims and objectives : The aim was to gain in-depth understanding about individuals’ existential experiences of living with obesity. Background : People living with obesity face great vulnerability and existential challenges. The different treatments offered do not seem to meet the individual needs of persons with obesity. A deeper understanding of existential experiences from an individual perspective is needed to individualize treatment. Design : An exploratory phenomenological–hermeneutical design was used to gain a greater understanding of the existential experiences involved in living with obesity. Methods : The participants represented a convenient sample. 18 qualitative interviews were conducted and subjected to phenomenological–hermeneutical analysis. Results : Four themes emerged: shaped by childhood; captured by food; depressed by the culture ; and judged by oneself . Conclusions : The burden of being obese can be experienced as being objectified and alienated as a human being. We need to turn towards a life-world perspective, seeing each human being as a living body to overcome objectification and alienation, and then move them towards becoming subjects in their own lives, through giving space for self-love . Health care workers need to assist persons living with obesity to reduce objectification and alienation. It is important to develop intervention that has an individual, holistic approach.

Objective:Based on the present authors’ research and several approaches to grief related to loss by death and nonmalignant chronic pain, the paper suggests a new integrated theoretical framework for intervention in clinical settings.Methods:An open qualitative review of the literature on grief theories was performed searching for a new integrated approach in the phenomenological tradition. We then investigated the relationship between grief, loss and chronic nonmalignant pain, looking for main themes and connections and how these could be best understood in a more holistic manner.Results:Two main themes were formulated, “relearning the world” and “adaptation”. Between these themes a continuous movement emerged involving experience such as: “despair and hope”, “lack of understanding and insight”, “meaning disruption and increased meaning”, and “bodily discomfort and reintegrated body”. These were identified as paired subthemes.Conclusions:Grief as a distinctive experience means that health care must be aimed at each individual experience and situation. Grief experience and working with grief are considered in terms of relearning the world while walking backwards and living forwards, as described in our integrated model. We consider that this theoretical framework regarding grief should offer an integrated foundation for health care workers who are working with people experiencing grief caused by death or chronic pain.

Scand J Caring Sci; 2020; 34; 514-523 Putting life on hold: lived experiences of people with obesity Obesity presents challenges in everyday life, one of which involves the existential aspects of living life as a person with obesity. There is a need for understanding the existential experiences, but there is limited in-depth research about these experiences of people with obesity. The aim of this study was to gain deeper insight into the existential experiences of people dealing with obesity. We performed a qualitative study that included in-depth interviews with seven men and 14 women with obesity (body mass index ≥ 35 kg/m 2 ) aged 18-59 years. The study took a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach in which the participants' own experiences formed the basis for understanding their lifeworld. The lived experiences of people dealing with obesity were characterised by several existential challenges. One overarching theme-Putting life on hold when struggling with obesity-was developed based on three themes: The body as an impediment to living the desired life, to being oneself and to moving on in life. These findings illustrate the complex existential experience of life, body and existence faced by people dealing with obesity. Based on these findings, we discuss whether people with obesity who experience 'putting life on hold' are attuned to live their life to the fullest in some areas. Their embodied experiences seem to challenge them to experience the joy of life, to appear as a whole self and to live life in the moment. Reflecting on obesity in the context of life and life phenomena seems to provide deeper insights into the existence of people living with obesity and may help to advance a more comprehensive approach in obesity health care.