Introduction: Most people feel lonely at some point in their lives. Loneliness increases with age. Residents of nursing homes are more prone to loneliness. Loneliness, however, strongly affects their quality of life. Occupational therapists in nursing homes play an important role in coping with loneliness, as they enable each resident to engage in various daily activities and they adjust these activities to their physical, cognitive and sensory abilities. Purpose: We tried to determine whether residents of the Kranj Retirement Home feel lonely, what the reasons and consequences are, and how they cope with loneliness. We were interested in the role of occupational therapy in preventing their loneliness. Methods of work: In a qualitative research, we conducted five semi-structured interviews with residents of the Kranj Retirement Home. With their permission, we recorded the interviews, literally transcribed them, and then analysed them qualitatively in terms of content. Results: We formed two categories - living in Kranj Retirement Home and loneliness of residents in Kranj Retirement Home. We found that the residents decided to come to Kranj Retirement Home on their own. They feel good here. During the day, they engage in various activities, including occupational therapy, which brings them joy and gives meaning. We found that some residents are lonely but others don’t feel lonely. The most frequently mentioned reason for loneliness was the COVID-19 epidemic, which prevented them from doing most of their activities and having contact with their families. Other reasons for loneliness are homesickness, living in a single room, non-involvement in activities and lack of contact with employees. The consequences of loneliness manifest as crying, anxiety, pessimism, loss of appetite, poorer physical and mental condition, and generally poorer quality of life. Residents deal with loneliness by engaging in occupational therapy activities, at home events, by socializing with roommates, walking in the nature, and talking with family or friends. Discussion and conclusion: Loneliness has consequences for both physical and mental health of residents of the retirement home. Occupational therapists play an important role in nursing homes, especially in involving residents in activities. By engaging in activities, the residents’ quality of life increases. In the future, it makes sense to further research this area and transfer knowledge into practice, so that occupational therapists will take it more into account or pay more attention to the prevention of loneliness.
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