Mental Well-Being of Older Adults in Care Homes : A Descriptive Literature Review

Abstract

The mental well-being of older adults who are residing in care homes is decisive yet often in explored areas of health and social care. Mental well-being of older adults living in care homes, focusing on lived experiences of older adults to understand the complex factors that influenced their mental well-being in care home settings. The purpose of this study was to define the mental well-being of older adults living in care homes and the study aimed to provide new knowledge about the mental well-being of older adults in care homes and identified strategies that enhanced their emotional health, reduced isolation promoted overall quality of life. A qualitative methodological approach was applied in this study and a descriptive literature review was implemented as an approach. Data was collected through a systemic search of two major healthcare databases, CINAHL and PubMed, using Boolean search techniques to enhance and broaden the results. The fourteen articles used to gather data were published between 2020 and 2025. Inductive reasoning was used to analyze data and two main categories were identified according to the participants’ perspectives. The two main categories were further classified as eight generic categories, representing a variety of factors that influence mental well-being, namely family participation, social support, meaningful activities, autonomy and social connections. The results demonstrate that improving mental health in care homes takes more than just attending to residents’ physical needs; it also entails developing relationships, empowering older adults and establishing emotionally supportive surroundings. This thesis adds to the widening field of study on older adults’ mental health and offers useful advice for academics, policymakers and healthcare professionals who want to enhanced mental well-being of older adults in care home environments.