Needs and Needs Communication of Nursing Home Residents with Depressive Symptoms: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Nursing home residents are affected by depressive symptoms more often than elders living at home. There is a correlation between unmet needs and depression in nursing home residents, while met needs positively correlate with greater satisfaction and well-being. The study aims to examine the needs of nursing home residents with depressive symptoms and the communication of those needs, as no previous study has explicitly addressed the needs of this group of people and the way they are communicated. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 residents of three nursing homes and analyzed them using content-structuring content analysis. The residents reported diverse needs, assigned to 12 categories. In addition, barriers such as health impairments prevented the fulfillment of needs. As to the communication of needs, various interlocutors, facilitators, and barriers were identified. The findings reveal that residents can express their needs and are more likely to do so if the interlocutors are patient and take them seriously. However, lack of confidants, missing or non-functioning communication tools, impatience and perceived lack of understanding on the part of caregivers, and residents’ insecurities limit communication of needs.

Caring for Frail Older People Living Alone in Italy: Future Housing Solutions and Responsibilities of Family and Public Services, a Qualitative Study

“…For some respondents, the nursing home even represents an ineluctable path towards death. Additionally, studies in the literature report that moving to the nursing home strongly impacts the everyday life of seniors and their relationships with family and friends, making them socially isolated, alone, and leading to depressive symptoms [ 84 ]. A study explored in particular the role of loneliness and depression as risk factors for suicidal ideation among residents in nursing homes, and found that about 20% of them experienced such a thought [ 85 ].…”

Emotional Impact and Perception of Support in Nursing Home Residents during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Qualitative Study

“…For example, going outdoors was often limited and therapies were suspended. Residents experienced longer stays in their rooms [ 8 , 9 , 10 ], causing a significant occupational imbalance. In Germany, Schweighart et al [ 10 ] described how the absence of activities during social isolation caused discomfort, restlessness, and mental impairment [ 11 ].…”

“…Residents experienced longer stays in their rooms [ 8 , 9 , 10 ], causing a significant occupational imbalance. In Germany, Schweighart et al [ 10 ] described how the absence of activities during social isolation caused discomfort, restlessness, and mental impairment [ 11 ]. In Spain, Becerra-García et al [ 9 ] described how in nursing homes, resuming activities after the pandemic improved the residents’ depressive symptoms.…”