Loneliness is becoming an increasingly important public health and social problem that contributes to the distress and lower quality of life of older adults in modern times. Its issues also arise among older adults in institutional care. We are talking about subjective feelings experienced by individuals, influenced by various factors in the lives of older adults, and about issues that can be addressed. However, there is still insufficient knowledge about loneliness. Nonetheless, adequate study of loneliness provides an important basis for the development of effective approaches and modern practices, even for older adults with the most demanding age and health problems in institutional care. They currently represent the predominant part of the institutional population in Slovenia.
The central topic of this master's degree thesis is shedding light on the issue of the frequency, aspects, experience, prevention, and coping with loneliness among older adults with the most demanding age and health problems in institutional environments. Through the phenomenological method, the author gained insight into the experience of loneliness among five older adults with the most demanding age and health problems in institutional care through semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the responses showed that older residents with the most demanding age and health problems in institutional environments do not face feelings of loneliness. This is due to the satisfaction of their physical, psychological, and social needs, and their perception of the nursing home as the only appropriate form of living, which they accept with gratitude and satisfaction. There is also evident satisfaction in the area of social contacts, which represents an important part of an individual's everyday life and takes place through relationships with fellow residents, staff, and loved ones. The findings of the study confirm the need for more in-depth research into the experience of loneliness among older adults in institutional care. They also emphasize the importance of understanding the factors and experience of loneliness among older adults in institutional care to enable an appropriate professional approach to prevent and address this issue.
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