Social Isolation and Quality of Life In An Elderly Care Institution
EVELE, EPOSI (2019)
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019112422145
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019112422145
Tiivistelmä
Evele Eposi
Social Isolation and Quality of Life in an Elderly Care Institution
45 pages: 1 Appendix
Diaconia university of Applied Sciences
Bachelor of Social Services
Degree programme in Social Services
The purpose was to identify and deepen the knowledge of elderly social iso-lation, loneliness and what it means to quality of life in care institutions. Reliable research done previously on this theme formulated the basis of this study. A nursing home was the working life partner and the professionals at the facility participated in the study through interviews. Set criteria were used to select participants at the working life partner. The criteria for selecting the participants aimed at those that would give as much information as possible. The participants selected were permanent workers who had worked at the institution for a prolonged period of time. Good command in English and Finnish languages was also a factor.
This is a qualitative research and data was collected through interviews. The data was analyzed with content analysis. The study reviewed whether social isolation and loneliness in the elderly affects health, quality of life, mortality and whether it increases the risk of long term institutionalization. The study found that social isolation and loneliness are linked to higher risk to a variety of physical and mental conditions.
The study reviewed the framework for social isolation and loneliness inter-ventions in elderly care institutions. Promising approaches were identified that addressed three key challenges: Reaching lonely individuals, under-standing the nature of an individual’s loneliness and developing personalized response and supporting lonely individuals to access appropriate services.
The findings of the study found similarities with various researches done that connects loneliness, chronic medical conditions, demographic socioeconomic factors and the risk of long term admission into institutional care.
Keywords: Social Isolation, Quality of life, Elderly care institution, social work with elderly people
Social Isolation and Quality of Life in an Elderly Care Institution
45 pages: 1 Appendix
Diaconia university of Applied Sciences
Bachelor of Social Services
Degree programme in Social Services
The purpose was to identify and deepen the knowledge of elderly social iso-lation, loneliness and what it means to quality of life in care institutions. Reliable research done previously on this theme formulated the basis of this study. A nursing home was the working life partner and the professionals at the facility participated in the study through interviews. Set criteria were used to select participants at the working life partner. The criteria for selecting the participants aimed at those that would give as much information as possible. The participants selected were permanent workers who had worked at the institution for a prolonged period of time. Good command in English and Finnish languages was also a factor.
This is a qualitative research and data was collected through interviews. The data was analyzed with content analysis. The study reviewed whether social isolation and loneliness in the elderly affects health, quality of life, mortality and whether it increases the risk of long term institutionalization. The study found that social isolation and loneliness are linked to higher risk to a variety of physical and mental conditions.
The study reviewed the framework for social isolation and loneliness inter-ventions in elderly care institutions. Promising approaches were identified that addressed three key challenges: Reaching lonely individuals, under-standing the nature of an individual’s loneliness and developing personalized response and supporting lonely individuals to access appropriate services.
The findings of the study found similarities with various researches done that connects loneliness, chronic medical conditions, demographic socioeconomic factors and the risk of long term admission into institutional care.
Keywords: Social Isolation, Quality of life, Elderly care institution, social work with elderly people