Existentiell ensamhet hos sköra äldre personer : ett närståendeperspektiv

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to explore existential loneliness from the perspective of significant others, to contrast their perceptions with frail older people's experiences and to describe significant others' and family care advisors' views on existential support. This thesis is part of a larger research project about existential loneliness among frail older people, the LONE study. The thesis embraces three qualitative and one quantitative study. A total of 29 significant others, 15 frail older people and 120 family care advisors participated in the studies. The significant others were husbands, wives, daughters, sons, other relatives and friends to frail older people. The concept 'frail older people' was defined as older persons (≥ 75 years old) dependent on long-term health-or social care. The qualitative studies were based on multistage focus-group interviews (study I) and individual interviews (studies II and III). The quantitative study (IV) had a cross-sectional design and was based on a questionnaire specifically developed for the current study. Different methods to analyse data were used; hermeneutics (study I), content analysis (study II), a case study with thematic analysis (study III) and descriptive statistics (study IV). Findings from the four studies show that existential loneliness emerges when: 1) Longing for, but also striving for, a deeper feeling of connectedness, 2) Being in, but also enduring, an unwanted separation, and 3) Not finding, but still trying to recreate meaning. This thesis also shows that existential loneliness is often experienced in so-called limit situations in life and arises in difficult choices related to close relationships, in connection with experiences of meaninglessness and in the absence of connection to something or someone. The results show that existential loneliness emerges in the process of balancing between what was and what is to come in the unknown future. Significant others navigate themselves, and sometimes together with the older person, through an unfamiliar existence that makes them feel ambivalent about the de-LATE IN LIFE-A HERMENEUTICAL APPROACH

‘The Swedish Strategy’ to COVID-19 Pandemic:Impact on Vulnerable and Marginalised Communities

“…In general, elderly people have been identified as especially vulnerable to COVID-19, leading them to feel ostracised and alienated in their community. Some elderly across Sweden have spoken out in the news describing how they have been marked ‘ancient’, ‘useless’ and ‘a burden for the society’, and scared to leave their homes due to the negative reactions of other people (Larsson, 2020; SPF Seniorerna, 2020). Despite there being a rather diverse spectrum of people within the elderly community, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a propensity to view the elderly as one homogenous group (Larsson, 2020).…”

“…Some elderly across Sweden have spoken out in the news describing how they have been marked ‘ancient’, ‘useless’ and ‘a burden for the society’, and scared to leave their homes due to the negative reactions of other people (Larsson, 2020; SPF Seniorerna, 2020). Despite there being a rather diverse spectrum of people within the elderly community, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a propensity to view the elderly as one homogenous group (Larsson, 2020). The COVID-19 guidelines stipulated by the Swedish Government have essentially adopted a one-size-fits-all approach to the elderly.…”

”Tidigare sa vi: Vad behöver ni hjälp med? Nu är det mer: Hur mår ni?”

“…Enligt Larsson (2020) borde anhörigkonsulenters uppdrag även omfatta existentiellt stöd. Det saknas emellertid kunskap om hur yrkesgruppen ser på detta och vad de önskar göra för att ge stöd i existentiella frågor (Larsson 2020). Ett existentiellt stöd syftar till att främja existentiell hälsa, där tonvikt läggs vid individens egen erfarenhet av hälsa och möjligheten till självreflektion över denna (Sigurdson 2014).…”

Anhörigkonsulenters uppdrag och arbete : Rapport från en forskningscirkel om stöd till anhöriga och kunskapsbehov

“…Litteratur var en vetenskaplig artikel av Blomberg och Stier (2016), Att vara kommunikativt låst -professionellas berättande om (vanskliga) vårdrelationer, samt delar av boken Att förstå sin egen utsatthet -stöd för professionella i människovårdande yrken av Carlander och Wedeen (2019). Femte träffen hade fokus på anhörigas situation och känslor, och litteratur var delar av avhandlingen Existentiell ensamhet hos sköra äldre personer: ett närståendeperspektiv (Larsson 2020). Under den sjätte och avslutande träffen knöts cirkeln ihop och summerades.…”