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How can care home activities facilitate social connection in residents? A qualitative study.
- Source :
- Aging & Mental Health; Jan2025, Vol. 29 Issue 1, p25-35, 11p
- Publication Year :
- 2025
-
Abstract
- Objectives: Good social connection is associated with better physical and mental health but care home residents experience barriers to social connection. Activities present a potential avenue for improving social connection in care homes but residents often experience loneliness despite access to activity programmes. We therefore aimed to identify what aspects of activities facilitate social connection in care home residents. Method: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews that were analysed using Thematic Analysis. A purposive sample of 35 participants, including 12 residents, 10 family caregivers, nine care home staff and four clinicians, recruited from UK care homes. Results: We found four main themes describing features of activities important for facilitating social connection: (1) personalisation with respect to residents' interests, social preferences, and cognitive ability; (2) activities which foster a sense of community; (3) finding and emphasising things in common that residents share; and (4) facilitating a sense of involvement with others. Conclusion: We identified the key aspects of activities which facilitate social connection in care homes. These findings can be applied to a range of existing and newly designed activities in care homes and inform the development and testing of psychosocial interventions aiming to improve social connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- NURSING home residents
PSYCHOTHERAPY
RESEARCH funding
QUALITATIVE research
INTERVIEWING
LONG-term health care
LONELINESS
JUDGMENT sampling
THEMATIC analysis
CAREGIVERS
SENIOR housing
RESEARCH methodology
SOCIAL networks
INTERPERSONAL relations
RECREATIONAL therapy
PSYCHOSOCIAL factors
SOCIAL participation
COGNITION
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13607863
- Volume :
- 29
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Aging & Mental Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 181888868
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2024.2345130