AimTo explore and gain a broader understanding of residents' viewpoints and experiences of spiritual care when living in a nursing home.DesignA qualitative hermeneutical interview study inspired by Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics.MethodsThirty‐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.FindingsThe 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.ConclusionAccepting 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 CareThis study provides insights into older nursing home residents' viewpoints on spiritual care, including persons living with dementia.ImpactThe 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 MethodThe COREQ guideline.Patient or Public ContributionParticipation through interviews of nursing home residents.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore the significance of performing a life story interview for gerontological nursing students. Method: The study had a qualitative exploratory design, focusing on hermeneutical understanding using thematic analysis. Seven nurses in older people nursing were interviewed. Findings: Two main themes emerged from the analysis: “Engaging fellowship” and “Understanding the importance of life stories.” The participants experienced increased engagement and fellowship with their patients after the life story interview; the change in their perspective was characterized by renewed interest, connection, and recognition of the individual person. The participants also gained a deeper understanding of the significance of listening to an older person's life story narrative, and this was expressed through them gaining an understanding of people's actions, achieving an altered mindset, gaining a greater generational understanding, and integrating a life story focus in their everyday professional life. Conclusion: Knowledge of human life and stories makes older people's situations easier to understand; this insight affects how we as nurses think about others. Seeing each patient as an individual and unique person and being aware of this in daily care is essential for nursing.